The Indian government has issued notices to social media intermediaries, including X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Telegram, instructing them to remove Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) from their platforms in India. Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajiv Chandrasekhar warned that if these platforms do not act promptly, their “safe harbor” protection under Section 79 of the IT Act could be withdrawn, making them liable for prosecution under applicable laws and rules.
The notices emphasize the importance of the prompt and permanent removal or disabling of access to CSAM on their platforms
They also call for the implementation of proactive measures such as content moderation algorithms and reporting mechanisms to prevent the dissemination of CSAM in the future.
The Information Technology (IT) Act of 2000 provides a legal framework for addressing pornographic content, including child sexual abuse content. Sections 66E, 67, 67A, and 67B of the IT Act impose strict penalties and fines for the online transmission of obscene or pornographic content.
The government is determined to create a safe and trusted internet environment under the IT rules, said Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The IT rules place strict expectations on social media intermediaries not to allow criminal or harmful posts on their platforms.
India, along with France, Japan, and Germany, was among the top countries requesting X to remove various types of content, including child sexual exploitation, sensitive media, terrorism/violent extremism, and more, in April this year.
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