The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, were recently passed by the Indian government to regulate the content published on digital media platforms.
According to these rules, Any person, as defined under Section 2(31) of Income Tax Act, 1961, residing in India, may register a grievance in accordance with Rule 10 of The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics code) Rules, 2021, within a reasonable period of time of publishing of the content.
The objective of these rules is to ensure that the content published on digital media platforms adheres to certain ethical standards and does not spread misinformation, hate speech, or defamatory content. The rules also aim to protect the rights of individuals and to create a safe and secure digital environment for all citizens.
To register a grievance, the person must follow the procedure outlined in Rule 10. The procedure involves approaching the intermediaries, such as social media platforms, with the complaint. The intermediaries are then required to take appropriate action within a reasonable period of time, which is usually within 36 hours of receiving the complaint. If the intermediary fails to take appropriate action, the person can approach the appropriate government authority with the complaint.