The IT ministry on Saturday issued a notice to microblogging platform Twitter, asking it to comply with the Centre’s new IT rules.
Failure by Twitter to comply with the rules will lead to it losing exemption from liability under IT Act as well as drawing penal provisions, the ministry stated in its notice while adding that it was giving the microblogging site “one last chance”.
The Centre has asked Twitter to appoint a compliance officer as well as a company employee as grievance officer and nodal contact person.
The Centre’s deadline for digital platforms to accept its latest IT compliance requirements came to an end on May 25.
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While announcing the new IT rules on February 25, the Centre had said that if “significant social media intermediaries” failed to comply with the new requirements, they will lose their intermediary status.
“Significant social media intermediaries” refers to those digital platforms which have more than 50 lakh registered users.
The new IT guidelines require social networking sites and instant messaging platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp to follow additional due diligence, including the appointment of a chief compliance officer, nodal contact person and resident grievance officer.
Once any platform or site loses its “intermediary status” it also loses its immunity against liabilities for any third-party information and data hosted by it. In other words, it could be liable for action.
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(With PTI inputs)
