Srinagar, Sep 04: The Centre is considering a formal social media code of conduct for government officials and employees amid growing concerns over public servants sharing reels, videos and personal opinions online, according to media reports citing official sources.
The proposed guidelines are aimed at regulating the online conduct of government personnel, particularly with regard to posts involving sensitive, inappropriate or controversial subjects. News agency PTI, citing official sources, reported that the matter has been discussed at the highest levels of government, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking senior officials to examine the feasibility of introducing such a framework.
The proposed code is expected to cover officials and employees across ranks, although the government has not yet indicated when it could be notified or outlined the specific provisions under consideration.
The deliberations come amid an increase in instances of government employees using social media to showcase their official work, positions and activities. According to sources cited by PTI, the absence of specific rules governing such conduct has strengthened the case for a dedicated code.
The Times of India, citing sources, reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue during a recent meeting with government secretaries and directed senior officials to examine the possibility of introducing the guidelines. He also asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to accelerate the launch of the “Ek Bharat” portal, envisaged as a unified platform for delivering government services to citizens.
The proposed social media framework is being considered alongside broader government efforts to strengthen regulation of online content. Last month, the Centre reduced the time available to social media intermediaries to remove unlawful information following a valid government or court notice from 36 hours to three hours.
The government has also tightened provisions concerning AI-generated and synthetic content amid growing concerns over deepfakes. Under the revised IT rules, intermediaries are required to ensure that permissible AI-generated content carries clear labels and traceable metadata, enabling users to identify synthetic material and reducing the risk of deception or misuse.
The amended rules also place greater emphasis on user awareness and platform due diligence, including informing users about the legal consequences of uploading unlawful AI-generated content and requiring stronger compliance mechanisms from intermediaries.
