The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital
Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 were released by the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology in February 2021. Social
Media intermediaries were given a three-month period to comply with
the new rules. The government on May 26, 2021, issued fresh notice
to all social media intermediaries seeking details on the status of
compliance with the new rules that came into effect on that
day.
Companies like Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Koo,
Sharechat, and LinkedIn have shared details with the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology as per the requirement of
the new norms. Twitter sought an extension of the compliance window
and called for a constructive dialogue and a collaborative approach
from the government to safeguard freedom of expression of the
public. WhatsApp also filed a case in the Delhi High Court against
the government on grounds that the new rules violated