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For the purposes of investigation, the new IT rules require an intermediary to identify the originating source of information.
In light of the privacy concern, Minister of State for Electronic and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that the government does not aim to make social media user verification mandatory. The government announced the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules in February last year to ensure that the internet is open, safe, trusted, and accountable to all users, he said during Question Hour.
"And we'll keep expanding the reach of those types of rules to ensure that the internet is safe and trustworthy," he continued.
He was responding to inquiries from Congress and DMK members.
Sharing Congress member Abdul Khaleque's concerns, the minister stated that while the internet and technology have empowered people and revolutionised their lives and government, they have also become "a platform for good," with user harm, criminality, and fake news challenges on the rise.
"I understand what you're saying," he replied, "but our approach is not to make it (user verification) mandatory."
He said that the new IT guidelines "successfully" address concerns of online safety and trust, as well as the misuse of social media contributing to law and order difficulties in the country.
According to the guidelines, an intermediary must identify the first source of information for the purposes of investigating, preventing, investigating, prosecuting, or prosecuting an offence involving India's sovereignty and integrity, security, or incitement to commit an offence, he said.
"This case is currently pending in the Delhi High Court since WhatsApp has filed a challenge," he explained. He said that the administration has "quite strongly" defended the provision in court.
In response to a question from Congressman Manish Tewari on what is preventing the government from making social media user verification mandatory, the minister stated that the government is "interested in balancing" the issue of privacy with the purpose of safety and trust.
"We feel that the laws enacted in February 2021 require intermediaries to be able to detect and identify the first source of any unlawful conduct," he said.
"While some intermediaries have disputed the situation (in court), the government is adamant in its position that this anonymity cannot be blanketed," he continued.
In response to a question from DMK member D Ravikumar about whether the government has taken "any serious steps" to combat "hate crime" on social media and harassment of women of a particular community through the Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai apps, the minister stated that the government is "actively" responding to such issues.
According to him, the ministry, like other government ministries, has the authority to require intermediaries to remove content and accounts that violate India's sovereignty and integrity or disrupt public order.
"We are fully involved and responding to this issue," the minister stated.
