Govt: Framework to regulate social media coming

The Centre informed the Delhi high court on Wednesday that it will introduce at “some point in time” a framework to regulate social media platforms, including de-platforming of users by them. The government said its proposed framework would also be able to address grievances of existing cases of suspension of social media accounts.

The Centre said this before Justice Yashwant Varma, who was hearing petitions against the suspension of accounts of several social media users, including those using Twitter. Counsel for the government assured the court that an amendment to the law will be made at some point in time.

“It will be prospective and (therefore) these cases will perhaps have to be decided (as per the existing scheme),” he submitted in response to an earlier query from the HC on whether the government was contemplating any draft regulatory measures relating to social media platforms. Granting further time to the Union government, the HC deferred hearings of the petitions till December 19.