Social media firms seek clarity on IT rules; self-explanatory, says govt

Even as social media companies such as Twitter and Facebook await clarity about a standard operating procedure for the new social media and intermediary guidelines, a ministry of electronics and information technology official on Monday said that the rules are self-explanatory.

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 were notified by the Centre on February 25, and came into effect on May 25. “It is very clear that the agency administering a particular law will be the appropriate government authority, whether it is under the state government or the Centre,” the IT ministry official said on condition of anonymity.