New Delhi: The Indian government has recently announced new guidelines for social media platforms, digital news outlets, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms in India. These guidelines aim to regulate content on these platforms and hold them accountable for any misinformation or unlawful content. Under these new rules, social media platforms with over 5 million users are required to appoint a grievance officer, a nodal officer, and a chief compliance officer based in India. These officers will be responsible for addressing user complaints, ensuring compliance with the rules, and coordinating with law enforcement agencies. Additionally, social media platforms must remove unlawful content within 36 hours of receiving a complaint. Digital news outlets and OTT platforms are also required to adhere to a code of ethics and establish a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism. Failure to comply with these guidelines can result in penalties, including the blocking of content or even the suspension of the platform’s operations. These regulations have sparked a debate on freedom of speech and censorship in India, with some praising the government’s efforts to combat fake news and hate speech, while others raise concerns about potential censorship and government overreach. It remains to be seen how these guidelines will be implemented and what impact they will have on the digital landscape in India.