Will Introduce A Framework To Regulate Social Media Companies At Some Point In Time: Govt To HC

Will Introduce A Framework To Regulate Social Media Companies At Some Point In Time: Govt To HC

SUMMARY

The prospective amendment will take place at some point in time and these cases will perhaps have to be decided as per the existing scheme: Centre

The Court was hearing a clutch of pleas filed by petitioners against suspension of their social media accounts

The Centre is also likely to issue guidelines for social media influencers in the next 15 days

The Centre on Wednesday (September 7) reportedly told the Delhi High Court that it would introduce a framework to regulate social media platforms ‘at some point in time’.

The Court was hearing a clutch of pleas filed by petitioners against suspension of their social media accounts. 

Citing the prospective nature of the proposed framework, the Centre said that existing cases of suspension of social media accounts would have to be decided within the contours of the existing regulations. 

“We have checked up in terms of your lordship’s (last) order. The amendment will take place at some point in time, we don’t really know (when). It will be prospective and (therefore) these cases will perhaps have to be decided (as per the existing scheme),” advocate Kirtiman Singh appearing for the Centre was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Over the course of the hearing, the HC sought more clarity on any proposed framework and raised questions as to why should the existing grievances not be dealt with under the proposed law. 

“Before we enter into judgement, we also want to understand if there is any regulatory mechanism that they are proposing to implement (and) whether that would have any impact on this batch,” the court noted. 

The Court granted the Centre further time to apprise it of subsequent development and posted the matter for hearing on December 19. The single judge bench comprising Justice Yashwant Varma observed that if the scope of the regulatory power that the Centre proposes to invoke is known, then the HC will also know the contours of its jurisdiction in the matter. 

The Centre, in a previous affidavit before the HC, noted that social media platforms have to respect the fundamental rights of the citizens and conform to the Constitution of India. The submission further noted that complete de-platforming of users is against the spirit of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.

However, the affidavit added that social media accounts could be suspended only in cases such as court orders, matters related to sovereignty, security and integrity of India, sexual abuse material, among others. 

Guidelines For Social Media Influencers

The submissions came on the day reports said that guidelines for social media influencers could be released in the next 15 days. Sources told PTI that the Department of Consumer Affairs will come out with ‘dos and don’ts’ for influencers, making it mandatory for them to declare their association with the product they endorse.

The report further added that social media influencers will be bound to put disclaimers in all such endorsement posts. Besides, the department has also reportedly completed the process of developing a framework to curb fake reviews posted on e-commerce websites and is likely to be released shortly.

This adds to the growing list of hostilities between social media platforms and the government of India. Earlier in July, Twitter moved Karnataka HC seeking quashing of 39 ‘blocking orders’ issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) between February 2021 and February 2022.

Apart from this, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) is also locked in a legal tussle with WhatsApp and Facebook over the contentious 2021 privacy policy update of the instant messaging app. The Delhi HC last month disposed off Meta’s plea against the CCI probe. 

Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
Unlock 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
Unlock 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

Will Introduce A Framework To Regulate Social Media Companies At Some Point In Time: Govt To HC-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

Will Introduce A Framework To Regulate Social Media Companies At Some Point In Time: Govt To HC-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

Will Introduce A Framework To Regulate Social Media Companies At Some Point In Time: Govt To HC-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

Will Introduce A Framework To Regulate Social Media Companies At Some Point In Time: Govt To HC-Inc42 Media
Will Introduce A Framework To Regulate Social Media Companies At Some Point In Time: Govt To HC-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company