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Proposed Indian IT Rules grant government powers to censor independent journalists

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Proposed Indian IT Rules grant government powers to censor independent journalists

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April 14, 2026, New Delhi—The Indian government must immediately withdraw proposed amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Rules that would grant authorities sweeping powers to censor independent journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.

The draft changes propose extending a regulatory code of ethics, previously applied only to large streaming platforms and broadcasters, to individual content creators, including independent journalists who cover news and current affairs on social media platforms, according to multiple news reports. If introduced, the amendments would effectively impose publisher-style compliance with government takedown orders.

The government says the amendments, which are open for public consultation until April 29, are necessary to combat misinformation and deep fakes.

“The proposed amendments to the Information Technology Rules are a direct attack on independent journalists using digital platforms and will undermine the public’s right to information,” said CPJ’s Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator Kunal Majumder. “Independent digital journalists are now central to India’s news ecosystem and to democratic accountability. Regulating them like large media corporations will silence critical reporting and erode the shrinking space for press freedom in India. The government must withdraw these amendments.”

Digital communication in India, including the conduct of social media platforms, is regulated by the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the corresponding IT Rules, which empower the government to order the removal of content deemed to threaten national security and public order.

The IT Rules’ code of ethics requires digital news publishers and big tech platforms to adhere to the Norms of Journalistic Conduct and the Programme Code, placing them on a level playing field with print and broadcast media through a three-tier complaint mechanism. Platforms that fail to remove content flagged by authorities within a three-hour window risk losing their “safe-harbor” immunity from legal prosecution.

The government’s new proposal seeks to reclassify individual content creators and independent journalists on platforms such as Facebook or YouTube as publishers, effectively bringing them under direct oversight of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The draft amendments come amid a series of digital takedown orders in India, including blocks on Facebook pages run by news outlets National Dastak, Molitics, and 4PM News. Meta disclosed that these actions were taken following government directives under the IT Act.

On March 14, a post on X by news magazine The Caravan, featuring a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the 2002 Gujarat Riots, was blocked following a government order under the IT Act.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting did not immediately respond to CPJ’s emailed request for comment.

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