UP govt gives nod to Social Media Policy, life imprisonment for anti-national posts

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the new social media policy, aimed at regulating content across platforms including Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. The policy introduces guidelines for addressing objectionable social media content and mandates legal action.

Yogi Adityanath's cabinet approved the Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, prepared by the state's information department, on Tuesday. Under the new policy, posting anti-national content will attract stringent consequences, with penalties ranging from three years of imprisonment to a life term. Previously, such actions were addressed under Sections 66E and 66F of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which deal with privacy violations and cyberterrorism, respectively.

Additionally, disseminating obscene or defamatory material online can result in criminal defamation charges, further underscoring the legal ramifications of misusing digital platforms, according to the official statement. According to the policy, the government has listed a digital agency, 'V-Form,' to handle advertisements. The agency 'V-Form' will be responsible for showcasing videos, tweets, posts, and reels.

The policy has also specified payment limits for influencers, account holders, and operators on social media platforms. For X, Facebook, and Instagram, the maximum monthly payment limits are set at Rs 5 lakh, Rs 4 lakh, and Rs 3 lakh, respectively. On YouTube, the payment limits for videos, shorts, and podcasts are Rs 8 lakh, Rs 7 lakh, Rs 6 lakh, and Rs 4 lakh, respectively.