Telegram, Facebook, Google comply with India's new IT rules; Twitter yet to fall in line

Despite the new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, coming into force three days ago on May 25, US-based micro-blogging site Twitter is yet to share details of compliance with the Ministry of Electronics and IT, sources have informed. The new guidelines were notified in February this year and gave significant social media companies a three-month window to comply with the rules laid down by the Indian government. While several social platforms including Sharechat, Koo, Telegram, LinkedIn, Google, Facebook and even WhatsApp complying with the rules now, Twitter is yet to fall in line, sources said on Friday.

As per the new guidelines laid down, all social media outlets are required to appoint a Chief Compliance Officer, Nodal Contact Person and Grievance Officer, who is supposed to be an Indian resident, and share their details with the Ministry of Electronics & IT. Sources have reported that after a stern communication by the Centre last night, Twitter had shared details of a lawyer working in a law firm in India as their Nodal Contact Person and Grievance Officer. However, this is against the new guidelines, as they require an employee of the company residing in India to be appointed as the Nodal Contact Person and the Grievance Officer. Sources have informed that Twitter is yet to share details of the Chief Compliance Officer with the concerned Ministry. 

Twitter seeks amendments in IT rules

Twitter on Thursday stressed that it will strive to comply with the guidelines, it has also sought amendments in the new rules. Expressing commitment towards protecting freedom of speech and privacy, a Twitter spokesperson revealed that the microblogging service plans to talk to the Union government for amending certain clauses of these regulations which restrict a free conversation on the platform. Lamenting the purported use of "intimidation tactics" by the police, it back a collaborative approach to safeguard the interests of the people.

The new IT rules were notified in February this year, with the government granting a time period to all social media outlets to fall in line with the guidelines laid down. However, sources had reported that until the deadline date i.e. May 25, only India's social media outlet Koo, had complied with the rules while others had sought an extension. 

Centre's unsparing response to Twitter

In a scathing response to Twitter's statement over the implementation of the new IT guidelines that came into force on May 25, the Ministry of Electronics and IT on Thursday lambasted the US-based micro-blogging website for attempting to 'dictate terms' in the world's largest democracy - India. Ridiculing Twitter's claims of 'intimidation tactics' by the Delhi Police, the Union Ministry downplayed the statement issued by the micro-blogging site on Thursday as 'totally baseless, false and an attempt to defame India'. In a stern message to the social media platform, the Union Government has said that Twitter needs to 'stop beating around the bush' and comply with laws of the land, asserting that it has no locus in 'dictating' what should India's legal policy framework be. 

Highlighting that Twitter has a large user base in India and earns significant revenue, the Union Ministry questioned its reluctance to appoint an Indian-based grievance redressal officer and mechanism, chief compliance officer and nodal officer to whom the platform's users can complain when subjected to offensive tweets. Pointing at the need for implementation, the Centre once again emphasized that the new IT rules empower ordinary users who become victims of defamation, morphed images, sexual abuse and other abusive content in blatant violation of law, adding that the guidelines were finalized after the widest possible consultations including representatives of social media platforms. Significantly, several global media outlets including Google and Facebook have agreed to comply with the local laws laid to sustain smooth operations in India.