New Information Technology rules 2021.
                     NEW INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY RULES 
2021
INTRODUCTION
• Recently, the government has notified Information Technology (Intermediary 
Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code).
• These new rules broadly deal with social media and over-the-top (OTT) 
platforms.
Source: www.drishtiias.com
FRAMEWORK
• These rules have been framed in exercise of powers under section 87 (2) of the 
Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and in supersession of the earlier 
Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011.
Source: www.drishtiias.com
NEW GUIDELINES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
Categories of Social Media 
Intermediaries
• Based on the number of users, on the social media platform intermediaries have 
been divided in two groups:
– Social media intermediaries
– Significant social media intermediaries
Source: www.drishtiias.com
Due Diligence to be Followed by 
Intermediaries
• In case, due diligence is not followed by the intermediary, safe harbour 
provisions will not apply to them.
• The safe harbour provisions have been defined under Section 79 of the IT Act and 
protect social media intermediaries by giving them immunity from legal 
prosecution for any content posted on their platforms.
Source: www.drishtiias.com
Grievance Redressal Mechanism is 
Mandatory
• Intermediaries shall appoint a Grievance Officer to deal with complaints and 
share the name and contact details of such officers.
• Grievance Officer shall acknowledge the complaint within twenty-four hours and 
resolve it within fifteen days from its receipt.
Source: www.drishtiias.com
Ensuring Online Safety and Dignity of 
Users
• Intermediaries shall remove or disable access within 24 hours of receipt of 
complaints of contents that exposes the private areas of individuals, show such 
individuals in full or partial nudity or in sexual act or is impersonation including 
morphed images etc.
Source: www.drishtiias.com
RULES FOR NEWS PUBLISHERS AND OTT 
PLATFORMS AND DIGITAL MEDIA
Rules For OTT
• Self-Classification of Content:
– The OTT platforms, called as the publishers of online curated content in the rules, would 
self-classify the content into five age-based categories- U (Universal), U/A 7+, U/A 13+, 
U/A 16+, and A (Adult).
• Parental Lock:
– Platforms would be required to implement parental locks for content classified as U/A 
13+ or higher, and reliable age verification mechanisms for content classified as “A”
Source: www.drishtiias.com
Rules For Publishers of News on Digital 
Media
• They would be required to observe Norms of Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India 
and the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act 1995 thereby 
providing a level playing field between the offline (Print, TV) and digital media.
Source: www.drishtiias.com
Self-regulation by the Publisher
• Publisher shall appoint a Grievance Redressal Officer based in India who shall be responsible 
for the redressal of grievances received by it.
• The officer shall take decision on every grievance received by it within 15 days.
Source: www.drishtiias.com
Self-Regulatory Body
• There may be one or more self-regulatory bodies of publishers.
• Such a body shall be headed by a retired judge of the SC, a High Court or independent 
eminent person and have not more than six members.
• This body will oversee the adherence by the publisher to the Code of Ethics and address 
grievances that have not been resolved by the publisher within 15 days.
Source: www.drishtiias.com