Govt notifies new IT rules, social media appellate panels to be set up in 3 months

The government has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2022

Delhi HC asks Centre to respond to pleas by FB, WhatsApp challenging IT Rules

The pleas have challenged the new rules on the grounds that they violate the right to privacy and are unconstitutional

The court said that Twitter's affidavit on its compliance with IT Rules was finally on record

The new IT Rules, 2021 were announced by the government on February 25

Granting time to the Centre to file its counter affidavit, the court listed the plea for further hearing on September 13

The new rules which came into effect on May 25 mandate social media companies to establish a grievance redressal mechanism

The Centre, in an affidavit filed in the high court, said any non-compliance amounts to breach of provisions of IT Rules

A bench of Justices R F Nariman, K M Joseph and B R Gavai issued notice to the Centre on an application filed by an NGO

Amazon argued that COVID-19 had already hit small businesses and the proposed rules will have a huge impact on its sellers

The court also allowed the petitioners to approach it if any coercive and arm-twisting action is taken under the new rules