Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp to face ban? What we know so far

Companies that fail to comply with the government’s new IT regulations face action, including criminal prosecution

Social media platforms and streaming services could be staring at a halt in operations in the country unless they comply with new rules drawn up by the government that come into effect on Wednesday.

Users fretted over an imminent ban on social media platforms in the country as the deadline to new information technology (IT) rules approached. As of Wednesday morning, however, all social media platforms were still operational.

Read | WhatsApp sues govt, says new media rules mean end to privacy

Here’s everything we know so far about a possible ban and how the companies are dealing with the challenge:

Why is there talk of a ban?

The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITy) introduced new guidelines to regulate social media companies on February 25 and gave the internet platforms three months to enforce them—a deadline that ended on Tuesday, May 25.

What are the new regulations?

The new guidelines bring in a host of new requirements for social media companies in the country, which includes the appointment of a chief compliance officer, a nodal contact person and resident grievance officer in the country.

Also Read | Facebook, Google working on complying with India's social media rules as deadline looms

The platforms will also have to scrub any content flagged by authorities within 36 hours, double the time they store user data, facilitate faster cooperation with law enforcement and provide information to regulators on where certain posts or messages originated.

What happens if the companies do not comply?

According to the guidelines, if the social media companies fail to comply with the new rules, they lose the protection they are afforded as “intermediaries” and could face severe action against them, going up to even criminal prosecution.

Read | Facebook, Twitter to be blocked in India? New social media rules to come into effect from May 26

Are the companies willing to comply?

Koo, the Indian version of Twitter is the only social media platform in the country that has claimed to have complied with the new guidelines so far. Facebook and Google have hinted at their intention to comply with the new rules.

Also Read | WhatsApp won't limit functionality for users till data protection law comes into force

However, Facebook-owned Whatsapp, which has the largest number of Indian users among the platforms, has filed a legal complaint in Delhi against the Indian government, saying the new rules would force it to breach privacy rights in the Indian constitution, according to a Reuters report.

Twitter, whose Indian headquarters were recently raided by the Delhi police after failing to take down a “manipulated media” tag on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson’s tweet, has so far remained silent on the issue of complying with the new regulations.