[Rules PDF] Social Media Guidelines in India 2021 PDF Download

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notification on 25th February 2021 regarding Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules 2021.

Social Media Act Regulations in India 2021 PDF Download

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Social Media Guidelines Government of India 25.2.2021 PDF

ISSUE RELATED GUIDELINES

This part of the guidelines comprises the issues and concerns that apply in varying degrees to all categories of classification and elaborates the general approach that may be taken in this regard to the same. These concerns are listed in alphabetical order, and are to be read with the four General Guidelines listed in Part I

(a) Discrimination:
The categorical classification of content shall take into account the impact of a film on matters such as caste, race, gender, religion, disability or sexuality that may arise in a wide range of works, and the classification decision will take account of the strength or impact of their inclusion.

(b) Psychotropic substances, liquor, smoking and tobacco: Films or serials, etc. that as a whole portray misuse of psychotropic substances, liquor, smoking and tobacco would qualify for a higher category of classification.

(c) Imitable behaviour:

(1) Classification decisions may take into account any portrayal of criminal and violent behaviour with weapons.

(2) Portrayal of potentially dangerous behaviour that are likely to incite the commission of any offence (including suicide, and infliction of self-harm) and that children and young people may potentially copy, shall receive a higher classification.

(3) Films or serials with song and dance scenes comprising lyrics and gestures that have sexual innuendos would receive a higher classification.

(d) Language:

(1) Language is of particular importance, given the vast linguistic diversity of our country. The use of language, dialect, idioms and euphemisms vary from region to region and are culture specific. This factor has to be taken into account during the process of classification of a work in a particular category.

(2) Language that people may find offensive includes the use of expletives. The extent of offence may vary according to age, gender, race, background, beliefs and expectations of the target audience from the work as well as the context, region and language in which the word, expression or gesture is used.

(3) It is not possible to set out a comprehensive list of words, expressions or gestures that are acceptable at each category in every Indian language. The advice at different classification levels, therefore, provides general guidance to consider while judging the level of classification for content, based on this guideline.

(e) Nudity:

(1) No content that is prohibited by law at the time being in force can be published or transmitted.

(2) Nudity with a sexual context will receive a higher classification of ―A‖.

(f) Sex:

No content that is prohibited by law at the time being in force can be published or transmitted. The classification of content in various ratings from U/A 16+ to ―A‖ shall depend upon the portrayal of non-explicit (implicit) to explicit depiction of sexual behaviour.

(g) Violence:

Classification decisions shall take account of the degree and nature of violence in a work.