Toughest measures for big social media firms: India to tweak proposed digital content regulations

India plans to amend proposed rules for policing digital content so the toughest measures apply only to big social media firms, two government sources told Reuters, in a move that could give relief to other tech players fearful of the new regulations.

The original proposal would have forced all tech players, in addition to Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, to deploy automated tools to check for unlawful content and to appoint an officer for “24×7” coordination with law enforcement.

The rules are part of India’s broader efforts to tackle disinformation and “fake news”. Since 2017, rumour-mongering on social media has been blamed for mob attacks that killed 30 people across the country.