EditorialPutting a bridle on Social media!

Putting a bridle on Social media!

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Finally, the Central government, under the ambit of the Information (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, has brought in detailed guidelines for digital content on both digital media and Over The Top (OTT) platforms, while giving overriding powers to the government to step in.
The government declares sweeping regulations for social media and OTT platforms that require them to remove any content flagged by the authorities within 36 hours. These OTTs also have to set up a complaint redressal mechanism, with an officer being based in the country.
Two Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar while addressing media persons warned that “double standards of social media will not be acceptable”. Highlighting the misuse of social media in the country, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the government wants social media platforms operating in the country to introduce a mechanism for better verification of users.
While the government pulled up the social media and OTT players, Bengal's Didi has pulled up Centre.
Video streaming service providers Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, MX Player and 15 others will now have to adhere to the new guidelines and self-regulatory mechanism notified by the government on Thursday, even as they were in the process of implementing their own self-regulation code.
The government has put in place a three-tier redressal system, with the information and broadcasting ministry exercising complete oversight over the process.
An independent self-regulatory body headed by a retired high court or Supreme Court judge will decide on matters related to content, as per the new mechanism. The code is part of the draft Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
The government has equipped itself with 'emergency' powers. The rules state, ‘in case of emergency nature' the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting may, ‘if he is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient and justifiable' give orders to block public access of any information. The rules state that he or she has to record the reason for doing so in writing and it will be an interim measure. Importantly, such orders can be released ‘without giving an opportunity of hearing to the publishing platform'. It is true that the digital media platforms have no monitoring mechanism like TV News Media or the print media. While the government should not curb freedom of expression, social media platforms and those operating in them should understand their responsibility.
Northlines
Northlines
The Northlines is an independent source on the Web for news, facts and figures relating to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and its neighbourhood.

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