Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: The Bombay High Court delivered a split verdict on petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 (IT Rules) that permit a “Fact Check Unit” (FCU) of the Union Government to identify “fake or false or misleading” online content “related to the business of the Central Government” and demand its removal.
The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 (IT Rules) are intended to regulate online gaming and misinformation. The rules include new provisions, such as:
Fact-check unit
The union government is now able to create a fact-checking unit (FCU) to fact-check online information related to the government. The FCU can review online comments, news reports, and opinions about government officials and ministries and tell online intermediaries to censor them.
Online gaming
Intermediaries are prohibited from hosting, publishing, or sharing any online game that can cause the user harm or that has not been verified as a permissible online game by an SRB.
Online games and advertisements
No platform can allow harmful unapproved online games and their advertisements.
False information
Platforms should not share false information about the Indian government, as confirmed by a fact-checking unit.
