Owaisi opposes new social media rules, says 'govt has too many powers to surveil'

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday opposed the draft of the rules to regulate content on internet intermediaries and streaming platforms. In a series of tweets, the Hyderabad MP expressed his disagreement against the draft Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Weeks after a spat with Twitter, the government on Thursday announced the tightening of rules governing social media and streaming companies, requiring them to take down contentious content quicker, appoint grievance redressal officers and assist investigations.

'These rules must be opposed'

"Currently, many messaging platforms are end to end encrypted. No one except sender and recipient of a message knows about its content, now government rules wants to force platforms to trace the 'originator' of forwarded messages," Owaisi tweeted.

"Government forcing platforms to trace messages on vague grounds of 'sovereignty/integrity of India, security of State, friendly relations with foreign states, or public order' can cover all types of lawful speech. From news reports on Prime Minister's weakness on Chinese intrusions to 'Modi job do', anything can be covered," his tweet further read.

In another tweet, Owaisi claimed that government already has "too many powers to surveil" and "we don't have privacy laws that protect us from a govt that constantly wants to know about our private conversations."

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Govt tightens rules for social media

The 'Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code', that IT and Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said are designed to curb misuse of social media platforms, requires WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media firms as well as streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video to appoint executives to coordinate with law enforcement, disclose the first originator of the mischievous information and remove, within 24 hours, content depicting nudity or morphed pictures of women.

Any contentious content flagged by the government or legal order has to be taken down quickly. Also, social media platforms on being asked by court or government will be required to disclose the first originator of the mischievous information that undermines the sovereignty of India, security of the state, or public order. The intermediary, however, will not be required to disclose the contents of any message.

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(With agency inputs)