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The Government has rejected claims that it plans to control content on the internet. In a statement issued by the government, the Department of Information Technology (DIT) said that the government remains fully committed to freedom of speech and expression.

The Government had earlier adopted a transparent method for formulation of the Rules pertaining to liability of intermediaries issued under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. The draft Rules were then put up on DIT’s website for receiving comments and received a lot of media attention.

DIT also clarified that the Intermediaries Guidelines Rules, 2011 prescribe that due diligence need to be observed by the Intermediaries to enjoy exemption from liability for hosting any third party information under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. These due diligence practices are the best practices followed internationally by well-known mega corporations operating on the Internet.

The terms specified in the Rules are in accordance with the terms used by most of the Intermediaries as part of their existing practices, policies and terms of service which they have published on their website. In case any issue arises concerning the interpretation of the terms used by the Intermediary, which is not agreed to by the user or affected person, the same can only be adjudicated by a Court of Law.

It further added that the Government has no intention to acquire regulatory jurisdiction over content under these Rules. It has categorically said that these rules do not provide for any regulation or control of content by the Government.