The newly introduced Draft IT Rules 2026 expands the scope of government oversight of online content, bringing independent online creators who disseminate current affairs and news related content under its umbrella of jurisdiction. MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan on Tuesday, 7th April, said that any individual posting content related to news and current affairs on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, or X could now come under the regulatory framework of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). He confirmed that the proposed draft amendments will apply not only to registered news publishers but also to ordinary users and citizen journalists.

“With the rise of citizen journalism, this has become a grey area,” Krishnan noted. “People are commenting, sharing opinions, and creating content, and society as a whole is still figuring out how to handle it.”

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The draft rules, officially called the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Second Amendment Rules 2026, were released on 30 March. They aim to bring user-generated content under MIB’s Code of Ethics if it qualifies as news and current affairs. This covers any socio-political, economic, or cultural content whose main purpose is to inform the public.

Krishnan explained the difference with an example: Simply sharing a personal experience of attending the India AI Summit would not count as news. However, posting about the same event to inform a larger audience could be considered news and current affairs. He admitted that there is no clear-cut line to decide what crosses into this category.

The amendments also require social media platforms to strictly follow all MeitY advisories, directions, and guidelines to retain their ‘safe harbour protection’ under Section 79 of the IT Act.

Failure to comply could result in the loss of this protection and make platforms legally liable for any third-party content.

Krishnan said the changes were driven by three key needs: law enforcement agencies wanted stronger data preservation rules, intermediaries sought clarity on whether government advisories are mandatory, and MIB wanted clear jurisdiction over news-related content.

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He emphasised that MeitY’s role is primarily technical and does not want to overlap with MIB’s responsibilities. On recent account blocks targeting comedians and political commentators, he clarified that satire is not the government’s target. He also pointed out that freedom of speech on social media is not absolute, as platforms are private entities and Article 19(2) of the Constitution allows reasonable restrictions.

Krishnan assured that the government’s existing powers to block content remain unchanged and are strictly bound by constitutional limits. He acknowledged challenges with the expanded grievance committee, especially when original content creators cannot be traced.

The ministry has received a wide range of feedback during consultations, including calls to withdraw the rules entirely. Krishnan said all suggestions will be carefully considered before finalising the rules. The original 14 April deadline to receive feedback/comments from stakeholders is expected to be extended, as many have requested more time.

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