“A formal advisory has been issued incorporating the ‘agreed to’ procedures to ensure that users on these platforms do not violate the prohibited content in Rule 3(1)(b)”: Rajeev
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, December 26, 2023: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY) has issued an advisory to all intermediaries, ensuring compliance with the
existing IT rules. The directive specifically targets the growing concerns around
misinformation powered by AI – Deepfakes.
The advisory mandates that intermediaries communicate prohibited content,
particularly those specified under Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules, clearly and precisely
to users. This advisory is the culmination of the discussions held by Union Minister of
State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Electronics & IT and Jal Shakti,
Rajeev Chandrasekhar during Digital India dialogues with intermediaries within one
month.
The advisory stated that, “The content not permitted under the IT Rules, in particular
those listed under Rule 3(1)(b) must be clearly communicated to the users in clear
and precise language including through its terms of service and user agreements
and the same must be expressly informed to the user at the time of first-registration
and also as regular reminders, in particular, at every instance of login and while
uploading/sharing information onto the platform.”
The advisory emphasizes that digital intermediaries must ensure users are informed
about penal provisions, including those in the IPC and the IT Act 2000, in case of
Rule 3(1)(b) violations.
“The users must be made aware of the various penal provisions of the Indian Penal
Code (IPC) 1860, the IT Act, 2000 and such other laws that may be attracted in case
of violation of Rule 3(1)(b). In addition, the terms of service and user agreements
must clearly highlight that intermediaries/platforms are under obligation to report
legal violations to the law enforcement agencies under the relevant Indian laws
applicable to the context,” the advisory further added.
Rule 3(1)(b) within the due diligence section of the IT rules mandates intermediaries
to communicate their rules, regulations, privacy policy, and user agreement in the
user’s preferred language. They are also obliged to ensure reasonable efforts to
prevent users from hosting, displaying, uploading, modifying, publishing,
transmitting, storing, updating, or sharing any information related to the 11 listed user
harms or content prohibited on digital intermediaries. This rule aims to ensure
platforms identify and promptly remove misinformation, false or misleading content,
and material impersonating others, including deepfakes.
Over a period of one month, Union Minister of State for Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship, Electronics & IT, and Jal Shakti, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar,
convened pivotal stakeholder meetings with industry leaders to address the pressing
issue of deepfakes. During the meeting, he highlighted the urgency for all platforms
and intermediaries to strictly adhere to the current laws and regulations, emphasizing
that the IT rules comprehensively address the menace of deepfakes.
Minister Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated, “Misinformation represents a deep
threat to the safety and trust of users on the Internet. Deepfake which is
misinformation powered by AI, further amplifies the threat to safety and trust of our
Digital Nagriks. On 17th November, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi alerted
the country to the dangers of deepfakes and post that, the Ministry has had two
Digital India Dialogues with all the stakeholders of the Indian Internet to alert them
about the provisions of the IT Rules notified in October 2022, and amended in April
2023 that lays out 11 specific prohibited types of content on all social media
intermediaries & platforms.”
The Minister further emphasized that Rule 3(1)(b)(v) explicitly prohibits the
dissemination of misinformation. Consequently, all intermediaries were asked to
exercise due diligence in promptly removing such content from their platforms. He
also emphasized that platforms have been duly informed about the legal
consequences associated with any violations under the IT rules.
“Rule 3(1)(b)(v) prohibits misinformation and patently false information. During the
two Digital India Dialogues, Government and industry have agreed to more
measures to ensure compliance by platforms and users with the IT rules which have
been explained earlier in the media. Today, a formal advisory has been issued
incorporating the ‘agreed to’ procedures to ensure that users on these platforms do
not violate the prohibited content in Rule 3(1)(b) and if such legal violations are noted
or reported then the consequences under law will follow. MeitY will closely observe
the compliance of intermediaries in the coming weeks and follow this up with further
amendments to the IT Rules and/or the law if and when required. It is Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi government’s mission to ensure that the internet is safe &
trusted and all intermediaries are accountable under law for the safety and trust of
the Digital Nagriks that use the Indian Internet,” the Minister further added.
