Deciphering The Intermediary And Digital Media Rules: Government Issues New FAQS

Earlier in 2021, the Government of India issued the much-contested Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (Intermediary Rules), under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) to regulate online platforms and digital media. These rules were laden with ambiguities and many stakeholders challenged the validity of the same across various courts in India. The Intermediary Rules set forth several due diligence requirements and grievance redressal obligations for such platforms, thereby increasing the regulatory burden in this sector. To ease some concerns and provide clarity to the stakeholders, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 1 November 2021 to clarify certain aspects in relation to the Intermediary Rules. This article aims to provide a snapshot of the key clarifications and their implications for the digital space.