The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved a new social media policy designed to regulate content on platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. The policy outlines guidelines for handling objectionable social media content and mandates legal action against violations.
Under the new policy, posting anti-national content is classified as a serious offense with severe consequences, including penalties ranging from three years of imprisonment to a life sentence. Previously, such actions were addressed under Sections 66E and 66F of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which pertain to privacy violations and cyberterrorism, respectively.
Additionally, the new policy stipulates that disseminating obscene or defamatory material online can lead to criminal defamation charges, highlighting the legal consequences of misusing digital platforms, according to the official statement.
The policy designates the digital agency 'V-Form' to manage advertisements, including videos, tweets, posts, and reels. It also sets maximum monthly payment limits for influencers and account holders: Rs 5 lakh for X, Rs 4 lakh for Facebook, Rs 3 lakh for Instagram, and for YouTube, Rs 8 lakh for videos, Rs 7 lakh for shorts, Rs 6 lakh for podcasts, and Rs 4 lakh for other content.