Curiously, but certainly, the reach of social media has expanded beyond expectations. The spread of mobile phones with internet links in recent years created a wired community, which has both information and entertainment on their fingertips without resorting to any additional communication equipment. With the Internet having become cheap, unlike in the initial years when the charges were high, an information revolution of a high order has been unleashed. Its reach has covered all segments of the population – the rich and the poor, women and men, youths and the middle-aged and even the elderly, educated population and even the illiterate. Alongside, entertainment videos are also available by their millions – and in one’s own language.
Social media’s reach has affected not only the impact of the print media but also the visual media and more importantly the news channels; and worse, their advertisement flows too. Some Youtubers on social media have a reach of millions, mint money by the hour, be they social and political commentators, artists, cooking experts or subject-specific specialists. Anyone with a gift of the gab can be influencers on social media. Having taken societies by storm, administrators are becoming increasingly exposed vis-à-vis their irresponsible actions from the village to national levels. What the established media – with abundant restrictions put on them – fail to say, social media is here to highlight. Understandably, however, there cannot be a circus without a ring. Rules governing the social media sector have been sketchy or limited so far. Many ‘influencers’ get away with their act. Feelings strengthened that “we are a free society,” sans governmental controls on governmental criticism. However there are quite a few ‘influencers’ who stretch their limits. It is in this context that the central government now seeks to “expand compliance obligations of intermediaries with government issued directions and widen the scope of regulatory oversight over online content, including news and current affairs by non-publisher users.” The ministry of electronics and IT has invited feedback from stakeholders on proposed amendments – which however are stated in riddles and without sufficient clarity. In sum, the government plans to bring “user-generated dissemination of news content within the regulatory framework governing digital media ethics.” The amendment’s draft provisions, it said, would apply to news and current affairs content hosted, uploaded, modified, published, transmitted, stored, updated or shared on computer resources of intermediaries by users who are not publishers.”
The Ministry clarifies that the government “remains committed to ensuring an open, safe, trusted and accountable internet for all users of Internet-enabled services.” The intentions may be good, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. A temptation on the part of the government would be to insulate itself from criticism, which it has effectively managed with the established media by way of muscle-flexing from the highest levels. Social media must be able retain its freedom but at the same time, it is imperative that this medium too is governed by a set of basic rules of public conduct. For instance, no entity should get away with acts like spreading incorrect information, or motivated defamation of those in public life.
