Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajiv Chandrasekhar said if social media intermediaries do not act swiftly, their safe harbour under section 79 of the IT Act would be withdrawn, implying that the platforms can be directly prosecuted under the applicable laws and rules even though the content may have not been uploaded by them. (REUTERS)

X, YouTube, Telegram Ordered to Remove Child Sexual Abuse Content by Government

Sanjay PatilOctober 7, 23 India, Telegram, Twitter, YouTube

The government of India has officially notified three major social media platforms, X (previously known as Twitter), YouTube, and Telegram, to immediately remove any child sexual abuse material discovered on their platforms within the country. Rajiv Chandrasekhar, the Minister of State for Electronics and IT, has issued a strong caution, indicating that if these social media intermediaries do not act swiftly, they may lose the protection granted to them under section 79 of the IT Act. This caution suggests that these platforms could potentially be directly prosecuted under relevant laws and regulations, regardless of whether they are responsible for uploading such illegal content.

Minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar’s statement underscores the government’s commitment to combating the spread of harmful content on social media platforms, especially when it comes to child abuse. The government’s intention to withdraw the safe harbor provision is a clear sign that it is ready to hold these platforms accountable for their content and take strict measures to protect the welfare of Indian citizens, especially vulnerable children. disturbing material.

The government sends announcements to major social media platforms

“The Ministry of Electronics and IT has issued notices to social media brokers X, YouTube and Telegram, warning them to remove Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) from their platforms on the Indian Internet.

“Notices sent to these platforms emphasize the prompt and permanent removal or denial of access to CSAM for all of their platforms,” the statement said.

The notice also calls for proactive measures, such as content moderation algorithms and reporting mechanisms, to prevent the spread of CSAM in the future.

“We have sent notices to X, YouTube and Telegram to ensure that there is no child sexual abuse material on their platforms. The government has decided to build a safe and reliable internet in accordance with IT rules.

“If they do not act quickly, their safe harbor under Section 79 of the IT Act will be revoked and there will be consequences under Indian law,” Chandrasekhar said.

The Information Technology (IT) Act 2000 provides the legal framework for dealing with pornographic content, including CSAM. Sections 66E, 67, 67A and 67B of the Information Technology Act impose severe penalties and fines for transmitting obscene or pornographic content online, the statement said.

(with income from PTI)

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