New Delhi: The Union government is reportedly considering a major overhaul of India’s online content-blocking framework, potentially allowing several ministries to issue takedown orders directly to social media platforms, according to The Indian Express.
Currently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) holds sole authority under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to issue final content-blocking orders. Under the proposed changes, ministries including Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defence, and Information & Broadcasting could independently instruct platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to remove content.
Citing two senior officials, the report states that inter-ministerial consultations are underway to amend Section 69A, driven by the rapid spread of AI-generated misleading content, which has increased both the volume and urgency of takedown requests. Regulators like SEBI may also be authorised to send direct takedown orders, particularly to curb misleading financial content circulated by online influencers.
Currently, India uses two parallel mechanisms for content removal. Under Section 69A, requests relating to national security, public order, or foreign policy are routed through MeitY, which acts as the final authority after committee review. In contrast, Section 79(3)(b) allows certain government agencies to issue takedown notices directly, often through the Home Ministry’s Sahyog portal. A senior government official told The Indian Express that decentralising Section 69A powers would bring parity across both regimes and reduce bottlenecks at MeitY caused by the sheer volume of requests.
The proposed changes follow efforts to accelerate content compliance, with the government recently reducing the takedown window from 24–36 hours to just 2–3 hours. While the move is aimed at speeding up responses to harmful content, critics have voiced concerns about potential overreach. Users have reported that even satirical or critical posts—though not illegal—have been removed as platforms comply with government directives.
Section 69A empowers the government to block public access to information in the interest of sovereignty, security, public order, or to prevent incitement to offences. The process is governed by the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.
Observers warn that allowing multiple ministries to issue direct orders may create a fragmented censorship regime, diluting oversight and transparency. The absence of prior judicial review has already been a point of contention, and critics fear that decentralisation could weaken safeguards against misuse. Past instances where content critical of the government—including media reports, documentaries, and social media posts—was blocked fuel concerns over potential political misuse.
On social media platforms like X, users have expressed alarm. One user, Tanmoy, commented: “MODI GOVT’S CENSORSHIP ARMY – MORE MINISTRIES TO SILENCE INDIA! Is the communal, abusive online creator being blocked? NO… dissent is the only one that pays the price. India’s voice? Gagged.” Journalist Anuradha Raman added, “This is how information is killed by the government,” reacting to reports of the proposed decentralisation of the IT Act “kill switch.”
The government has yet to formally announce the amendments. However, the proposal highlights the growing tension between rapid content moderation and the preservation of online freedom of expression in India.