IT Ministry amends IT Rules, 2021 to add ‘accountability’ for State, Central governments

The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) volition amend societal media takedown rules to adhd much “accountability” to officers sending notices to societal media companies implicit contented connected their platforms, officials said connected Wednesday (October 22, 2025). The caller safeguards volition beryllium introduced by mode of an amendment to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 wrong this week itself, elder officials briefing the property said.

“The accountability of the authorities increases with this change,” IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told presspersons. As a portion of these caller rules, the authorities “will beryllium giving a reasoned intimation whenever immoderate specified bid is passed, and orders volition beryllium passed astatine a reasonably elder level, Joint Secretary and supra for the Central government, and Deputy Inspector General astatine the State level”, helium said. 

The safeguards specifically pertain to Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules, nether which authorities officials are empowered to emblem contented successful specified a mode that societal media firms would not beryllium capable to assertion “safe harbour” from ineligible liability for contented users post. Such notices would unit societal media firms to support contented arsenic though they were publishers, and not conscionable an intermediary for specified content. The amendment has not yet been notified successful the Gazette of India, but officials said it would beryllium wrong the week, and would spell into effect connected November 15.

The societal media level X had challenged the usage of Rule 3(1)(d) arsenic an unconstitutional and arbitrary mode for constabulary officers to contented “censorship” orders from astir the country. A azygous justice Bench of the Karnataka High Court upheld the government’s close to empower officials to contented specified notices. Officials briefing the media denied determination was immoderate transportation betwixt this tribunal lawsuit and these safeguards.

Officials volition present person to make notices nether Rule 3(1)(d) (which derives its powers from Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000) more clear, a elder authoritative said. These notices indispensable clarify successful the substance of their announcement that the quality of the connection was a informing that harmless harbour did not use to the contented being flagged, and not an instantly enforceable takedown bid per se.