In a significant development, the Indian government has announced new guidelines for social media platforms and digital news outlets. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 aim to regulate content on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. The new rules require social media companies to appoint grievance officers to address user complaints, and to remove objectionable content within a specific timeframe. Additionally, social media platforms with over 50 lakh users are now required to publish monthly compliance reports detailing the action taken against reported content. The guidelines also mandate digital news outlets to follow a code of ethics, including the appointment of a grievance officer and compliance with the Press Council of India’s norms. Failure to comply with the new regulations could result in these platforms losing their intermediary status, which provides them with certain legal protections. The move has sparked a debate on freedom of speech and expression in the country, with some welcoming the regulations as necessary to curb misinformation and hate speech online, while others view them as a threat to free speech. The implementation of these rules marks a significant shift in how social media platforms and digital news outlets operate in India, and is likely to have far-reaching implications for the online landscape in the country.