Fact Check: Will calls get recorded according to New Communication Rules?

Claim: Ministry of Internal Regulation has created new communication rules that talk about calls being recorded.

Rating: False

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What is the rumour about?

•  A viral rumour has been spreading all over the country stating that the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has made some new rules.
• Accordingly, the government will check all calls and even social media forums would be monitored.
• According to the message, no one is supposed to share or post any information regarding politics, religion and government.
• If the rules are not followed, the person could even be arrested. 
• According to the message forward, these new rules are to be followed from April 4, 2020. 

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Who started the rumour?

• Social media forwards
• Apparently, the message was being circulated in Assam first before circulating in the rest of the country. 

Image courtesy: WhatsApp

Image courtesy: Facebook

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Republic World did a fact check the viral rumour

• Republic World did a fact check on the "new communication rules" rumour and found it to be False.
• The Ministry whose name is written at the bottom of these forwards as "Minister of Communication and Digital Economy" doesn't even exist in India. 
• However, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy actually exists in Nigeria but there is no such information of the calls getting recorded in Nigeria mentioned in any official statement as well. In 2018, there was news of the Nigerian government spying on their citizens' phone calls, but the allegations were refuted by Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture.  
• Such messages were found to be spreading all over Assam three days ago and the Assam Police tweeted about the same. Take a look. 

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Image courtesy: Twitter

• Take a look at the screenshots of the videos below, where many Facebook posts dated 2017 and 2018 have shared the same unverified messages. 

Image courtesy: Facebook

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Is there any rumour you want Republic World to do a fact check on? Do you have facts about a rumour? Share your pictures or videos with Republic World on contact@republicworld.com or comment on this story itself. 

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Promo Image credit: WhatsApp and Facebook forwards