Govt mulls authorising more ministries to issue content takedown orders
New Delhi: The government is weighing a proposal to allow more ministries, including Defence, External Affairs and Home Affairs, to issue content takedown orders directly to social media platforms, sources said on Wednesday.
According to officials, inter-ministerial consultations are ongoing, though no timeline has been set for a final decision. At present, the Ministry of Electronics and IT serves as the nodal authority for blocking and takedown requests. Expanding this mandate to additional ministries is expected to speed up action against misleading, unlawful and AI-generated deepfake content.
Sources said discussions are underway with the ministries concerned and any change could be implemented through amendments to the existing IT Rules.
Under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Centre has the power to block public access to online content, including websites, applications and social media posts, on grounds such as national security, sovereignty and public order.
The move builds on steps taken earlier this year to tighten oversight of online platforms. In February, the government introduced stricter rules for platforms such as YouTube and X, requiring them to remove unlawful content within three hours and clearly label AI-generated or synthetic material.
The updated rules were introduced in response to the rising misuse of artificial intelligence to create deceptive, obscene and fabricated content, including material that mimics real-world events. Platforms were directed to embed permanent identifiers in AI-generated content and comply with shorter timelines for addressing user complaints. For sensitive cases involving exposure of private areas or sexual content, platforms must act within two hours of receiving a complaint. The February amendments also placed responsibility on both social media companies and AI tool providers to curb the spread of unlawful synthetic content and ensure stronger accountability in moderating such material, sources said.
