Social Media Blocking Powers: India May Extend Takedown Authority Beyond IT Ministry

The Centre is considering a proposal to allow multiple ministries to issue blocking orders to social media platforms, expanding powers currently held only by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The move aims to curb the rapid spread of fake and harmful content by enabling faster, decentralised decision-making across departments dealing with sensitive issues.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the proposal is being worked on by an inter-ministerial team. He noted that empowering different ministries to act independently would significantly reduce response time once misleading or manipulated content—especially deepfakes—is identified and verified.

At present, blocking powers under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, are limited to the IT ministry. The government is now exploring extending similar authority to key departments such as External Affairs, Finance, and Defence, given that misinformation increasingly targets areas like national security, foreign policy, and financial stability.

Also Read: Ashwini Vaishnaw Cautions Bollywood: Freedom of Speech Is Not Absolute

The proposal follows a recent deepfake incident involving Manoj Pande, where a fabricated video falsely showed him making controversial remarks about the Indian Army. The video included misleading claims about internal divisions and alleged foreign influence, raising concerns about its potential impact on public trust.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) later clarified that the video was fake and attributed its circulation to propaganda networks seeking to mislead audiences. Authorities urged citizens to verify information through official sources before sharing it online, highlighting the growing threat posed by manipulated digital content.

Vaishnaw said that once such content is identified and fact-checked, swift action is critical to prevent it from going viral. He added that the proposed changes would be implemented by amending existing rules rather than the IT Act itself, making the process simpler. In a related step, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting recently directed platforms to remove a controversial song featuring Sanjay Dutt and Nora Fatehi, underscoring the government’s increasing focus on regulating online content.

Also Read: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Confirms Renewal of 54,600 km of Tracks (2014–2026)