Draft IT rule changes widen scope, raise overreach concerns

The proposed amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 are drawing concern from policy and legal experts, who say the changes could expand government oversight over online content while stretching the scope of the parent Information Technology Act, 2000.

At the centre of the debate are two shifts: giving greater legal weight to government advisories issued to intermediaries, and widening the regulatory ambit to include user-generated news and current affairs content. Together, these changes could alter how platforms moderate content and how users engage online.