Social Media Laws and it's Implications
Over the past decade, social media has taken a leading position in determining the terms of public debate, behavioral patterns, and communication. Companies like Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and WhatsApp have been able to provide users with powerful tools while introducing several issues about privacy, accountability, and freedom of speech. With such complexities, India has enacted laws and regulations to govern the use of social media, balancing the rights of users with the responsibilities of the platforms. The regulatory framework in India concerning social media is basically defined by the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act).The Information Technology Act as a primary legislation dealing with cybercrimes, electronic communication, and digital content in India. The section 66A of IT Act criminalized "offensive" messages sent through communication services, but the Supreme Court struck it down in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) as it was hel...