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Centre Warns Social Media Firms Over Inciteful Protest Content
The Centre has asked social media companies to be careful about posts connected to ongoing public events.
It issued the advice on October 8.
The notice says some posts may be false, misleading, changed, or shown without important context.
Old photos and videos might also be wrongly presented as new.
Fake or altered audio and video, and impersonation, were also highlighted.
The Centre says such posts could confuse or worry people.
It asked platforms to give priority to complaints from authorised government agencies.
Platforms should take action according to the law, especially when content could encourage violence or other unlawful acts.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued an advisory to social media platforms on October 8.
The notice warned about false, misleading, manipulated or out-of-context content linked to ongoing public events and developments.
It said such material could cause confusion, public apprehension, or concerns about public order and law enforcement.
Platforms were asked to prioritise reports from authorised government agencies and act according to law.
The advisory highlighted archived footage presented as current, digitally altered or synthetic media, impersonation, and content likely to incite violence or unlawful activity.
- Who
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued advice to social media platforms.
- What
- Platforms were asked to address potentially misleading or unlawful content connected to public events and developments.
- Where
- On social media platforms in India.
- When
- The advisory was issued on October 8.
- Why
- The Centre said such content could cause confusion, disturb public order, or contribute to law-and-order concerns.
Key facts
- Issuing authority
- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
- Advisory date
- October 8
- Scope
- Content related to ongoing public events and developments
- Platforms' direction
- Prioritise reports and complaints from authorised government agencies
- Content highlighted
- Archived footage presented as current, digitally altered or synthetic media, impersonation, and content likely to incite violence or unlawful activity
- Specific protest
- The notice did not specifically mention the October 10 protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party and Leftist student unions.
Quotes
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
The government ministry that issued the advisory to social media platforms.
“Particular attention may be accorded to old/ archived photographs and videos being presented as current events, digitally altered or synthetically generated audio-visual content, impersonation of public authorities/persons, and content which is likely to incite violence or other unlawful activity.”
telegraphindia.com
“Such content, particularly when presented as current or authentic information, has the potential to cause public confusion, create apprehension, disturb public order and social tranquillity, and contribute to law-and-order concerns.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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