Data protection bill may see social media firms lose safe harbour status

The data protection bill, which is currently being reviewed by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC), may lead to social media companies losing their status as an intermediary, or protection from action for third party content, for “selecting, modifying, editing, blocking, muting, amplifying content or removing users from its platform”, if one of the changes proposed to its draft is accepted, people familiar with the matter said.

This will effectively make social media companies liable to be penalised for taking action against any content, whether pursuant with law, following government orders or in accordance with its terms of service, say experts.