Understanding new IT rules

and their implications

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Hello!
I am Gaurav Batra
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What are the main requirement

of new IT rules 2021?
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Social media firms operating in India will have to implement the new Information
Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules
2021 which are applicable from today. These new guidelines were released in
February, giving social media platforms including Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and Koo three months to comply. The new IT Rules 2021 for
digital media platforms includes the requirement to appoint a resident grievance
officer as part of a larger grievance redressal mechanism, active monitoring of
content on the platform, monthly compliance reports for Indian users, self-
regulation mechanisms and also an oversight mechanism created by the
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. And no, Facebook and
Twitter aren’t getting banned.
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As we have already mentioned, the new IT Rules 2021 for digital

media platforms includes the requirement to appoint a resident
grievance officer who should be based out of India as part of a larger
grievance redressal mechanism, active monitoring of content on the
platform, responsiveness to grievances, expedited processes to take
down certain content including revenge porn, monthly compliance
reports for Indian users, self-regulation mechanisms and also an
oversight mechanism created by the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology.
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Which social media platforms come within the ambit of the IT

Rules 2021?
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All significant social media platforms with more than 50 lakh (5 million)
users, which means Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Koo, for instance,
are very much categorized as large social media platforms. As of March
this year, WhatsApp has more than 390 million users in India. Facebook
had clocked 320 million users in India, as of January 2021 numbers from
research firm Statista, making this the largest market for the company
ahead of the US (190 million) and Indonesia (140 million). Twitter also
has more than 17.5 million users in India, as per the numbers from
January this year. The made in India social media platform Koo has
crossed 60 lakh users.
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What are the requirements for the grievance redressal system?

The new IT Rules 2021 say that digital media platforms now require a larger grievance redressal mechanism which
will include a Chief Compliance Officer, a Nodal Contact Person and a Resident Grievance Officer. All social media
platforms are required to publish these details on their apps and websites and explain to users the mechanism in
place to make a complaint against any content on the platform. These complaints need to be acknowledged within
24 hours of receipt and these complaints need to be actioned upon within a period of 15 days from the date of
receipt.

Are there any exceptions to this rule?

The exception to this rule is what the guidelines describe as “any content which is prima facie in the nature of any
material which exposes the private area of such individual, shows such individual in full or partial nudity or shows
or depicts such individual in any sexual act or conduct, or is in the nature of impersonation in an electronic form,
including artificially morphed images of such individual,” shall need to be removed or disabled access within 24
hours from the receipt of a complaint via the redressal mechanism. The social media and digital media platforms
will also require immediate redressal for any government notices or court orders. The new IT Rules require much
quicker responses to content complaints that are raised, something that hasn’t always happened till now.
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Does this change the way you use WhatsApp or Facebook or Twitter?

No, there is absolutely no change in the way you regularly interact with any social media platform. As long as you
aren’t breaking the rules of the nation as well as the community guidelines, with posts that are offensive or
downright dangerous. That is very much within the ambit of strong action, legal or otherwise. The only difference,
in a way, would be in case you raise an issue with the grievance redressal systems of any of these platforms for
content posted on by any other user—the resolution will now have to be quicker, and the platform will need to be
responsive.
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Social media crime

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Man gets obscene video as

‘birthday gift’ in Ahmedabad
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AHMEDABAD: It was definitely not the kind of that Raghav (name changed) was
expecting. A woman who had befriended him on social media had posted an allegedly
morphed video showing him in the nude talking to her on a The 42-year-old Sanand
resident told cybercrime police on Sunday that the accused had done so after he refused
to pay her money. “The woman’s Facebook profile identified her as Nikita Rajput. She
sent a friend request on June 5. Once I accepted it, she began chatting with me on
Facebook messenger,” Raghav told police. Then, on June 8, Rajput allegedly made a
video call. “She disrobed on the call and asked me to take off my clothes. I was stunned.
Then, I immediately disconnected the phone. However, a while later, I received a video in
which I was naked on the video call with the woman,” he said in the complaint. Then, on
June 8, Rajput allegedly made a video call. “She disrobed on the call and asked me to
take off my clothes. I was stunned. Then, I immediately disconnected the phone.
However, a while later, I received a video in which I was naked on the video call with the
woman,” he said in the complaint. He told police that the woman asked for Rs 50,000 but
when he refused to pay up, she posted his video on social media on his birthday — June
11. He approached police and filed a complaint of defamation under IPC along with
sections under the information technology act.
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Staying safe on social media

Set your profiles to private

Think carefully about what you post online and who you want to see it. Consider setting your profiles to 'friends/followers' only.

Remember anything you post can be shared

Even with strong privacy settings in place, it is important that you come to terms with the fact that what you post online is never really
private and can be shared. It is therefore important that you always think before you post.

Recognize the fakes

Not everyone on social media will be who they say they are. There can be young people and adults who pretend to be someone else
and could cause you harm. For example they may want to trick you into sharing private or personal information that they could use
against you. It's important that you never meet up with someone you don't know, and that you always let an adult know where you are
going and who you are meeting. There have been occasions where children are tricked into meeting adults who then cause them
harm.

Spring clean your contacts

Once you make a friend online, it doesn't have to be permanent. Regularly review and clean up your contacts - particularly anyone
who spreads negative content or doesn't make you feel good about yourself.
Block anyone who bothers you 14
All social media sites allow you to block people who you don't want accessing your account. It is not permanent
and they won't be notified. You may also have the option of muting someone so they don't know you can no
longer see their posts.

Protect your identity

Your phone number, address, bank details and any information that may hint to your personal passwords should
never be shared online. Experienced password hackers or phishing sites can piece together your information to
gain access to your account, or use your identity to create a new one. Make sure passwords are strong, change
them regularly and always keep them private.

Avoid the big risks

One of the hardest things you can go through is having a very private image or video shared with others. Think
very hard before sharing anything private or personal as there are no guarantees that this won't get into the wrong
hands. If someone really cares about you they will respect your choice not to share personal information, photos
or videos.

Watch out for suspicious messages

Messages with a shortened URL alongside a statement such as 'OMG look at this picture of you…' or 'Have you
seen what they are saying about you…' are not to be trusted.
Phishing emails are also a problem. These are fake communications pretending to be a trusted organisation such
as Facebook that will try and get you to log in. They can look very convincing, and even have your personal profile
info, so only sign into a site through their official page or app. If something looks suspicious, check the email
address and put it through a search engine. Malicious senders are usually named and shamed online!
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Social Media and Mental Health

While many of us enjoy staying connected on social media, excessive use can fuel feelings of anxiety, depression,
isolation, and FOMO. Here’s how to modify your habits and improve your mood.

The role social media plays in mental health

Human beings are social creatures. We need the companionship of others to thrive in life, and the strength of our
connections has a huge impact on our mental health and happiness. Being socially connected to others can ease
stress, anxiety, and depression, boost self-worth, provide comfort and joy, prevent loneliness, and even add years
to your life. On the flip side, lacking strong social connections can pose a serious risk to your mental and
emotional health.
In today’s world, many of us rely on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and
Instagram to find and connect with each other. While each has its benefits, it’s important to remember that social
media can never be a replacement for real-world human connection. It requires in-person contact with others to
trigger the hormones that alleviate stress and make you feel happier, healthier, and more positive. Ironically for a
technology that’s designed to bring people closer together, spending too much time engaging with social media
can actually make you feel more lonely and isolated—and exacerbate mental health problems such
as anxiety and depression.
If you’re spending an excessive amount of time on social media and feelings of sadness, dissatisfaction,
frustration, or loneliness are impacting your life, it may be time to re-examine your online habits and find a
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The positive aspects of social media

While virtual interaction on social media doesn’t have the same psychological benefits as face-to-face contact,
there are still many positive ways in which it can help you stay connected and support your wellbeing.
Social media enables you to:

•Communicate and stay up to date with family and friends around the world.

•Find new friends and communities; network with other people who share similar interests or ambitions.

•Join or promote worthwhile causes; raise awareness on important issues.

•Seek or offer emotional support during tough times.

•Find vital social connection if you live in a remote area, for example, or have limited independence, social anxiety,
or are part of a marginalized group.

•Find an outlet for your creativity and self-expression.

•Discover (with care) sources of valuable information and learning.

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The negative aspects of social media

Since it’s a relatively new technology, there’s little research to establish the long-term consequences, good or
bad, of social media use. However, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and
an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.
Social media may promote negative experiences such as:

Inadequacy about your life or appearance. Even if you know that images you’re viewing on social media are
manipulated, they can still make you feel insecure about how you look or what’s going on in your own life.
Similarly, we’re all aware that other people tend to share just the highlights of their lives, rarely the low points
that everyone experiences. But that doesn’t lessen those feelings of envy and dissatisfaction when you’re
scrolling through a friend’s airbrushed photos of their tropical beach holiday or reading about their exciting new
promotion at work.

Fear of missing out (FOMO). While FOMO has been around far longer than social media, sites such as
Facebook and Instagram seem to exacerbate feelings that others are having more fun or living better lives than
you are. The idea that you’re missing out on certain things can impact your self-esteem, trigger anxiety, and
fuel even greater social media use. FOMO can compel you to pick up your phone every few minutes to check
for updates, or compulsively respond to each and every alert—even if that means taking risks while you’re
driving, missing out on sleep at night, or prioritizing social media interaction over real world relationships.
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Isolation. A study at the University of Pennsylvania found that high usage of Facebook, Snapchat, and
Instagram increases rather decreases feelings of loneliness. Conversely, the study found that reducing social
media usage can actually make you feel less lonely and isolated and improve your overall wellbeing.

Depression and anxiety. Human beings need face-to-face contact to be mentally healthy. Nothing reduces
stress and boosts your mood faster or more effectively than eye-to-eye contact with someone who cares about
you. The more you prioritize social media interaction over in-person relationships, the more you’re at risk for
developing or exacerbating mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Cyberbullying. About 10 percent of teens report being bullied on social media and many other users are
subjected to offensive comments. Social media platforms such as Twitter can be hotspots for spreading hurtful
rumors, lies, and abuse that can leave lasting emotional scars.

Self-absorption. Sharing endless selfies and all your innermost thoughts on social media can create an
unhealthy self-centeredness and distance you from real-life connections.
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Modifying social media use to improve mental health step

1.Use an app to track how much time you spend on social media each day. Then set a goal for how much you
want to reduce it by.

2.Turn off your phone at certain times of the day, such as when you’re driving, in a meeting, at the gym, having
dinner, spending time with offline friends, or playing with your kids. Don’t take your phone with you to the
bathroom.

3.Don’t bring your phone or tablet to bed. Turn devices off and leave them in another room overnight to charge.

4.Disable social media notifications. It’s hard to resist the constant buzzing, beeping, and dinging of your phone
alerting you to new messages. Turning off notifications can help you regain control of your time and focus.

5.Limit checks. If you compulsively check your phone every few minutes, wean yourself off by limiting your
checks to once every 15 minutes. Then once every 30 minutes, then once an hour. There are apps that can
automatically limit when you’re able to access your phone.

6.Try removing social media apps from your phone so you can only check Facebook, Twitter and the like from
your tablet or computer. If this sounds like too drastic a step, try removing one social media app at a time to see
how much you really miss it