The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a sharp warning to social media companies and online intermediaries, threatening legal consequences if they fail to aggressively tackle obscene, vulgar, pornographic, and other illegal material on their platforms. The advisory, dated 29 December 2025, underscores the government's growing impatience with the proliferation of harmful digital content.
Key Directives in the Fresh Government Advisory
In its latest communication, the Centre has instructed these platforms to immediately review their compliance frameworks and take decisive action against any unlawful content. The advisory explicitly reminds intermediaries of their legal obligations under Section 79 of the IT Act and the IT Rules, 2021. These laws mandate that platforms exercise due diligence to ensure users do not host, display, or transmit obscene, pornographic, or child-harmful material.
The government has mandated that upon receiving actual knowledge—whether through a court order or a reasoned notice from a government agency—intermediaries must act expeditiously to remove or disable access to such content. This action must be taken strictly within the timelines prescribed under the IT Rules of 2021.
Legal Ramifications for Non-Compliance
The advisory leaves no room for ambiguity regarding the stakes involved. It clearly states that failure to adhere to the provisions of the IT Act and Rules could result in severe consequences. Prosecution may be initiated under the IT Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and other applicable criminal laws, targeting not just the platforms but also their users in certain cases.
The government has asked companies to undertake a prompt review of their:
- Internal compliance frameworks
- Content moderation practices
- User enforcement mechanisms
This is to ensure full adherence to Indian law.
What Prompted the Stern Warning?
According to the advisory, the government's action was driven by a continuous stream of grievances from the public, various stakeholders, and even judicial bodies. These complaints highlighted the prevalence of online content that violates India's laws concerning decency and obscenity. Parliamentary discussions and court proceedings have also echoed these concerns.
The MeitY note mentioned that in specific instances brought to its attention, the matter has been forwarded to the relevant law enforcement authorities for necessary legal action. This fresh advisory serves as a blanket reminder to the entire industry to proactively clean up their platforms and uphold their statutory responsibilities.
