The central government is drafting a new law aimed at curbing obscenity on social media platforms.
The legislation will include specific provisions to regulate platforms like YouTube and social media users across various sectors.
The law will cover areas related to telecommunications, information technology, and broadcasting, with separate guidelines for each sector.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will also introduce a code of conduct for social media influencers.
According to this new directive, influencers will be required to provide disclaimers along with content ratings.
The code will define the scope of obscenity, vulgarity, and inappropriate content, ensuring clear boundaries for what is acceptable online.
Stricter Measures For Influencers With Large Followings
Influencers with followings between five lakh and fifty lakh will face stricter scrutiny. In case of any complaints, action will be taken immediately by the concerned authority, which could include the police, administrative bodies, or other agencies.
The government is determined to tackle the issue of inappropriate content on social media with strong and prompt responses.
The move to create this new law follows a Supreme Court directive for the central government to address the issue of obscenity on social media.
The Court had asked what steps the government was taking to combat this growing concern.
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In response, the government is actively working on drafting specific guidelines for social media platforms and users.
This initiative comes after public outcry surrounding issues like the ‘India Got Latent’ controversy, which prompted the Court’s involvement.
The Supreme Court’s intervention has spurred the government to fast-track its efforts to establish clearer regulations for the digital space.
Parliamentary Committee Raises Concerns
The Parliamentary Committee also voiced concerns over the increasing spread of obscenity on social media platforms.
As a result, the government is moving forward with the creation of the Digital India Law, designed to address these issues within the context of modern technology and social media.
Cyber law expert Pawan Duggal expressed the importance of introducing a new law to tackle obscenity on social media.
He emphasized that controlling content under the current Information Technology (IT) Act is challenging due to the evolving nature of digital platforms.
Duggal believes that a dedicated law is necessary to effectively address these concerns.
Current Laws And Their Limitations
Supreme Court lawyer Virag Gupta stated that existing laws designed for print and television media to combat obscenity, pornography, and illegal content should also apply to digital media.
However, the advisory issued by the government for OTT platforms remains non-binding.
Gupta stressed the need for a proper legal framework and an effective regulatory body to address the issue of vulgarity and nudity in the digital entertainment space.
Challenges In Enforcing New Regulations
As the government develops its new law, some legal experts, including Supreme Court lawyer Pradeep Yadav, remain skeptical about its potential impact.
Yadav argues that it will be difficult to completely eliminate obscenity on social media without addressing broader issues such as cybercrime.
He believes that without proper control over online criminal activities, tackling obscenity will remain a significant challenge.
The government is working on finalizing the draft of the law, but it has yet to be officially released.
As the new regulations take shape, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has sought opinions from relevant stakeholders, including legal experts, to ensure that the law is effective and comprehensive in curbing obscenity and maintaining online decorum.
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