Government Policies aimed at ensuring an open, safe and trusted and accountable internet for its users
Government Policies aimed at ensuring an open, safe and trusted and accountable internet for its users
The policies of the Government are aimed at ensuring an open, safe and trusted and accountable internet for its users, including women and children. The Government is committed to ensure that the internet in India is free from any form of unlawful content or information, particularly which may lead to violence against women and exploitation of minors.
Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000
IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021
The IT Rules, 2021 cast due-diligence obligations on intermediaries, including social media intermediaries, and require them to implement these obligations effectively so as to prevent the hosting or transmission of unlawful content.
Key provisions under IT Rules, 2021: Provision
Details
Restricted information
under Rule 3(1)(b)
Restricts hosting, storing, transmitting, displaying or publishing information/content that, among other things, is:
Rule 3(2)(b)
Specifically deals with the 24-hour takedown requirement for non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) and related content.
User Awareness
Obligations
Intermediaries must clearly inform users through terms of service and user agreements about the consequences of sharing unlawful content, including content removal, account suspension, or termination.
Accountability in Content Removal
Intermediaries must act expeditiously to remove unlawful content upon court orders, reasoned intimation from Government, or user grievances, within prescribed timelines.
Grievance Redressal
In case of failure of the intermediaries to observe the legal obligations as provided in the IT Rules, 2021, they lose their exemption from third party information provided under section 79 of the IT Act. They are liable for consequential action or prosecution as provided under any extant law.
An advisory was also issued on 29.12.2025 which clearly advised the intermediaries to observe statutory due diligence obligations under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, for preventing hosting, publication, transmission, sharing or uploading of vulgar, indecent, obscene, pornographic and other unlawful content on their platforms.
It also advised the intermediaries to undertake an immediate review of their internal compliance frameworks, content moderation practices and user enforcement mechanisms, and to ensure strict and continuous adherence to the provisions of the IT Act and the IT Rules, 2021.
Ministry took note of creation and dissemination of non-consensual intimate imagery on certain social media platforms. Those platforms were directed to immediately cease such services. Government has noted the compliance.
Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012
Cinematograph Act, 1952
The Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983, Central Board of Film Certification, regulates the public exhibition of films including adult films. According to the guidelines issued by CBFC, films which are considered unsuitable for exhibition to non-adults shall be certified for exhibition to adult audiences only.
Additional measures to strengthen the national response to cybercrimes:
To further strengthen the mechanism to deal with such cybercrimes including illegal circulation of pornographic content in a coordinated manner, the Government has also taken several other measures, including the following:
25 OTT platforms were banned by the government for airing inappropriate content in 2025.
This information was submitted by Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Shri Jitin Prasada in Lok Sabha on 11.02.2026.