The central government has sent a strong message to social media platforms and other online intermediaries. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has made it clear that if the platforms do not take immediate and strict action against obscene, objectionable and illegal content, they may have to face serious consequences under the law. This warning was issued through a new advisory dated December 29, 2025.
Legal action if rules are ignored
The government has asked social media companies to immediately review their existing compliance systems and remove any illegal or objectionable content from their platforms without any delay. The Central Government has also made it clear that for negligence, a case can be initiated against the concerned platform.
IT Act and IT Rules reiterated
In the advisory, the government cited the IT Act and IT Rules 2021 to say that it is the legal responsibility of intermediaries to ensure that their platforms are not used to spread any kind of obscene, pornographic, child-harmful or illegal information. This includes all activities from uploading to sharing and storing content.
Accountability under section 79
The government also reiterated that under Section 79 of the IT Act, social media platforms have to take ‘reasonable precautions’. In case of content uploaded by third parties, legal protection will be available only if the platform fully follows the rules. This protection may be lost if the rules are ignored.
It is mandatory to remove content on time
The advisory also states that if any content is found to be illegal on the basis of a court order or information received from any authorized government agency, it will be mandatory to remove it or block access to it within the stipulated time limit. Any delay in this regard will be considered a serious violation.
Why was this new warning issued?
According to the government, it was continuously receiving complaints from the general public, stakeholders and even the courts that the content on many online platforms was violating laws related to decency and obscenity. These issues have also been discussed in Parliament, and some cases have been referred to law enforcement agencies for investigation. In view of these growing concerns, the Central Government has issued this new and strict advisory.
