Proposal to cut takedown window to 1 hour is under discussion, following the recent 2–3 hour rule.
Final decision will depend on how well platforms comply with current shortened timelines.
Move is part of broader efforts to expand content regulation and enforcement under IT laws.
The Indian government is reportedly considering implementing a stricter content moderation framework for social media platforms. As per the Indian Express report, the discussions are ongoing to reduce the takedown window to as little as one hour. This comes weeks after the Centre implemented a shorter 2-3 hour deadline for removing the flagged content, replacing the 24 to 36 hour window.
The report further stated that the proposal is currently at an early stage and the final decision will depend on how effectively the platforms comply with new timelines. The officials, as cited by the report, stated that the government is closely monitoring the adherence before deciding whether the stricter timelines are necessary.
The revised rules come from amendments made last month to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The changes mandate the fast removal of the illegal and unlawful content, including non-consensual intimate imagery within two hours and other flagged content within three hours.
This follows recent developments, including a plan to extend the content-blocking powers under Section 69A of the IT Act to multiple ministries other than the IT Ministry, including Home Affairs, Defence, External Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting.
The report also suggested that the government is considering various ways to expand the scope of content regulation, such as redefining “obscene” material to include a wider range of content categories. Parallel mechanisms under Section 79 of the IT Act are being expanded to improve enforcement.
While the official maintains that the rules only target the unlawful content, critics have stated that satirical or critical posts, along with the account sharing dissenting views, have also faced impact as the platforms have increased compliance to avoid penalties.
However, it must be noted that the IT Ministry has not issued an official statement on the proposed changes at the moment.
