Social networking sites should avoid obscene content: Govt

NEW DELHI: The Government has reiterated that social networking sites should observe due diligence and safeguards for prevention of hosting of obscene, blasphemous, pornographic, paedophilic, and defamatory material on their website.

Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot told Parliament today that the Government had notified the Information Technology (Intermediaries guidelines) Rules 2011 under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act 2000.

Sections 67, 67A and 67B of the Information Technology Act,2000 provides stringent punishment and fine for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form as well as for publishing or transmitting material containing sexually explicit act or depicting children engaged in sexually explicit act.

The Government has also notified Information Technology (Guidelines for cyber cafe) Rules 2011 under Section 79 of the Act which prescribe the general guidelines and security measures to be observed by cyber cafés. Rule 7 provide for supervision of cyber cafe for the compliance of these guidelines.