The Centre has issued a stern warning to social media platforms over the growing circulation of obscene and objectionable content online, directing them to take strict action against child sexual abuse material and pornographic content. The warning was issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which said failure to comply would invite serious legal consequences.
The ministry accused social media companies of not taking adequate steps to curb the spread of indecent and obscene content. Referring to Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, MeitY stated that social media intermediaries and publishing platforms are responsible for the upload, publication and circulation of third-party content on their platforms.
The Centre cautioned that non-compliance with existing rules would lead to strict action under the IT Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and other applicable laws. It added that both the concerned platforms and users could face severe legal consequences if violations continue.