The Centre has introduced fresh amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, aiming to make the removal of online content more transparent and accountable.
The revised rules, notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will come into effect from November 15, 2025. Officials said the changes strengthen due diligence requirements for intermediaries, including social media platforms, under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Under the updated framework, only senior officials will now be authorised to issue directions for the removal of unlawful content. Any such order must come from an officer of at least Joint Secretary rank or its equivalent, ensuring decisions are not taken at a lower administrative level. In the case of police authorities, only a Deputy Inspector General (DIG)-rank officer or above, specially authorised for the task, can issue such directives.
The notification replaces earlier references to “notifications” with “reasoned intimations,” meaning authorities must now clearly explain the legal grounds and specific details of any removal order, including the exact URL, nature of the offence, and relevant provisions of law.
“This shift ensures that intermediaries act with ‘actual knowledge’ of what constitutes unlawful content,” MeitY explained in a statement, citing the need for “clarity and precision” in compliance procedures.
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The Centre has also introduced a monthly review mechanism, under which all such directives will be examined by an officer not below the rank of Secretary to the Appropriate Government. The review will assess whether the actions taken remain “necessary, proportionate, and consistent with the law.”
Officials said the move seeks to strike a balance between safeguarding citizens’ rights and maintaining lawful oversight of digital platforms. The aim, they added, is to prevent arbitrary censorship while ensuring that online spaces remain safe, accountable, and legally compliant.
The IT Rules, 2021, first notified in February 2021, lay down the code of conduct and due diligence responsibilities for online intermediaries, including social media platforms, digital publishers, and messaging services. The Rules were amended twice earlier, in 2022 and 2023, to strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms and accountability for digital content.
According to the ministry, the latest reforms are intended to ensure proportionality and transparency in enforcing lawful restrictions under the IT Act, 2000, while upholding the principles of natural justice.
“The amendments strike a balance between the constitutional rights of citizens and the legitimate regulatory powers of the State, ensuring that enforcement actions are transparent and do not lead to arbitrary restrictions,” the ministry said.
By tightening the procedural framework, MeitY hopes to bring more accountability to government directives concerning online content, reduce ambiguity for intermediaries, and foster public trust in the digital ecosystem.