The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to explore a statutory framework to ensure social media intermediaries comply with Indian laws regarding minors, particularly concerning their inability to independently enter into contracts. The court highlighted the need for safeguards to protect children from potential harms on digital platforms, including exploitation and misuse of data, and asked the Solicitor General to examine incorporating these requirements into intermediary rules.
The Delhi High Court has ruled that a private company's provision of email services does not, by itself, make it amenable to writ jurisdiction, even if the account is crucial for a user's business. This decision came as the court dismissed a petition by a media company seeking restoration of access to its Gmail account.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Union ministries of electronics and information technology and law and justice regarding a plea for safeguards for minors on social media. The NGO 'Just Rights for Children Alliance' filed the plea, arguing that social media platforms should not enter into contracts with children under 18, citing their statutory incapacity to contract and the risks of online harm.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released draft guidelines for responsible labelling of synthetically generated Artificial Intelligence (AI) content in advertising, proposing a risk-based framework to ensure transparency and protect consumers.
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Indian government will release a consultation paper on AI regulations within a month. This framework will address critical aspects like AI safety, deepfakes, and a human-first approach, emphasising the industry's primary responsibility in ensuring safe AI deployment. The move comes amidst growing global concerns over AI risks and the need for robust safeguards.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee said the proposed comprehensive statutory framework for regulating OTT content should include robust technology-enabled age-verification mechanisms, effective parental controls and suitable penalties for non-compliance.
Google has informed the Delhi High Court that it has withheld a "defamatory" YouTube video by social media influencer Dhruv Rathee in India. The video, which allegedly hurt religious sentiments by insulting Hindu deities, was withheld following an order from the Centre's Grievance Appellate Committee. The petitioner, Amita Sachdeva, seeks global blocking, but Google states the issue of global injunction is pending before a division bench.
'Propaganda films that the BJP makes, whether it's The Kerala Story or others, are shown wherever elections occur as part of their propaganda. But real-time human rights violations... If such things don't come on a public platform, how will correction occur?'
The Indian government is considering amending the IT Rules 2021 to introduce compulsory certification for films released on OTT platforms, following a controversy involving the film 'Satluj' which was released without clearances and later taken down due to national security concerns.
Delhi Police has registered an FIR against several social media handles on X for allegedly posting 'derogatory, malicious and defamatory content' targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and has sought complete details of the account holders from the platform.
A central government committee has upheld the ban on the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer film Satluj, citing concerns over India's sovereignty and integrity, sparking political debate in Punjab.
India's IT Secretary S Krishnan announced that the government is considering a dedicated regulatory framework for Artificial Intelligence, moving beyond existing IT rules to address challenges like deepfakes and synthetic content. This comes as global policymakers grapple with AI's rapid emergence and its implications.
'We are considering this to ensure swift action on content for which the respective ministries have domain experts and can better determine the illegality of the content or the web site that needs to be taken down.'
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw indicates India may require a new legal framework for Artificial Intelligence, as the current IT law predates AI's rapid emergence. The government aims to balance innovation with regulation, engaging with the industry to ensure citizen safety while fostering technological growth.
The government on Tuesday brought in stricter obligations for online platforms on handling AI-generated and synthetic content, including deepfakes, saying platforms such as X and Instagram must take down within three hours any such content flagged by a competent authority or courts.
New capital exposure norms implemented by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from July 1 have led to a noticeable drop in trading volumes, with Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) options premium ADTV falling by nearly 40 per cent in early July.
Sunil Gavaskar approached the high court, seeking to prevent the unauthorised use of his name, images, persona and likeness by social media platforms and e-commerce websites, and to protect his personality rights.
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has expressed concerns that India's Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, particularly the lack of a deemed consent mechanism for credit information companies, and the Information Technology (IT) Rules of 2021, along with frequent internet shutdowns, could negatively impact the ability of US companies to operate and trade in India.
Police in Kishtwar detained a person for allegedly uploading a misleading video related to a clash between two communities. The district magistrate also issued an order regulating unregistered online news portals and social media pages to prevent misinformation and maintain public order.
A court in Ahmedabad in Gujarat has directed the Congress and four of its leaders to remove a deep fake video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani from social media platforms.
X calls the home ministry's Sahyog portal a 'censorship portal', stating it usurps judicial functions.
A parliamentary panel has sought details from two key government ministries on actions planned against social media platforms and influencers who "seem to be working against national interest" following a recent terror attack in Pahalgam. The panel, headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, has asked the ministries of Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology to provide details of any contemplated action to ban such platforms under the IT Act 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. However, a member of the panel, Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, has denied receiving any communication related to the issue and claims that the chairperson cannot issue a statement without the approval of the committee.
The new rules allow for a staggered implementation road map, giving companies, data fiduciaries, data principals, and other stakeholders up to 18 months to comply with the administrative guidelines under the DPDP Act.
On September 20, a single bench of Justice A S Chandurkar held that the amended rules being vague and broad had the potential of causing a chilling effect not only on an individual, but also on the social media intermediary.
'By quick, fast, and just awards, the insurance ombudsman can bring the trust of the policyholders in the insurance system and insurance as a product and create a positive impact on the entire industry.'
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Saturday clarified that the provision in the new digital media guidelines to block internet content in a case of emergency nature has been around as a rule since 2009 and was not recently introduced.
The Maharashtra Cyber division has issued a notice to the Wikimedia Foundation, the organization behind Wikipedia, demanding the removal of "objectionable" content related to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj from the online encyclopedia. The notice, issued under the Information Technology Act, claims the content is inaccurate and lacks proper references, potentially inciting communal hatred. The move follows recent claims by various organizations about the existence of defamatory information regarding Sambhaji Maharaj on Wikipedia, particularly in the wake of the Hindi film "Chhava", based on his life. The Maharashtra Cyber has directed the Wikimedia Foundation to remove the content promptly and prevent its re-uploading.
Microblogging platform X has implemented technological measures to prevent its Grok AI chatbot from generating images of real people in revealing clothing in jurisdictions where it is illegal, following government pressure over obscene deepfakes.
X has accepted its mistake, and said it will comply with Indian laws, sources said, adding that in future, the platform will not allow obscene imagery.
Amid a spate of hoax bomb threats to multiple airlines, the IT ministry has asked social media platforms to observe due diligence obligations and promptly remove or disable access to misinformation within the strict timelines prescribed under IT rules.
The government on Thursday announced new rules to curb misuse of social media platforms, as it mandated firms to appoint grievance officer, disclose the first originator of the mischievous information and remove, within 24 hours, content depicting nudity or morphed pictures of women.
Lashing out at the micro-blogging platform over non-compliance, Prasad said that it is "astounding" that Twitter that portrays itself as the flag bearer of free speech, chooses the path of deliberate defiance when it comes to the intermediary guidelines.
In a jolt to the Centre, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the notification setting up a fact-checking unit under the Press Information Bureau (PIB) to identify fake news about the Union government.
The Union government on Friday said it would not notify the fact checking unit (FCU) contemplated under the amended information technology (IT) rules against fake news till the Bombay high court delivers its judgment on the petitions challenging the amendments.
UPI has catapulted India into the forefront on the global digital payments landscape. Working hand in hand, the AePS payments system is making life easy for rural folks, notes Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
'Money moves in a web of transactions and payment addresses keep changing for offshore companies, which requires heightened monitoring measures.'
The Centre has told all states and union territories that the power to administer the new rules on digital media publications has not been delegated to them, a day after the Union government overturned a Manipur district magistrate's order issued under the recently implemented guidelines.
Election Commission on Tuesday directed social media platform 'X' to 'immediately' take down an animated video shared by the Karnataka unit of the BJP related to the row over reservation for the Muslim community.
The Bombay high court on Friday quashed the amended Information Technology rules aimed at identifying through a fact checking unit "fake and false" content against the government on social media platforms, holding it as unconstitutional.
The micro-blogging site has also said it may fall within the definition of a "significant social media intermediary" under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
