Centre proposes that Sharing a News Article on Social Media could now attract Regulatory Scrutiny under IT Rules

The Central Government has proposed sweeping amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, seeking to expand the compliance burden on intermediaries and bring user-generated news content under tighter regulatory scrutiny. The Ministry has opened the draft for public consultation, with stakeholders invited to respond by April 14, 2026, marking a significant shift in how online news dissemination may be governed going forward.

At the heart of the proposal lies an attempt to widen the scope of Part III of the IT Rules, traditionally applicable to digital news publishers, to also cover users who share or circulate news and current affairs content without being formally registered as publishers. The draft further introduces a new Rule 3(4), mandating intermediaries to adhere to government-issued advisories, directions, and standard operating procedures as part of their due diligence obligations under Section 79 of the IT Act.

Additionally, the proposed changes reinforce data retention duties and expand the jurisdiction of the Inter-Departmental Committee, allowing it to act not only on complaints but also on matters directly referred by the Ministry.

The government has framed the amendments as clarificatory, but their implications point toward enhanced executive oversight. Notably, the draft specifies that the regulatory framework will extend to content “hosted, displayed, uploaded, modified, published, transmitted, stored, updated or shared” by non-publisher users on intermediary platforms. This signals a clear intent to close perceived gaps in accountability within the digital ecosystem.

The strengthened role of the Inter-Departmental Committee further indicates a move toward proactive monitoring, rather than complaint-driven action, thereby increasing the state’s supervisory reach over online content.