Public Reaction to MeitY Draft IT Rules (2026)

Among others, MeitY’s proposed draft IT Rules amendments could have a wider impact on online free speech, as the government intends to make compliance with advisories and SOPs mandatory for safe harbour protection under the IT Act, and to bring MIB’s Code of Ethics framework to news-related user-generated content.

Here are some public reactions to the draft amendments to the IT rules.

The attempts to regulate online news and citizen journalism:

• “This amendment will directly hit genuine news content providers like Redbox parody. 🙏 We urge our followers to support us & come out against this proposed law, as this is our only source of income.” – @RedBoxIndia. [link]

• “The government already seems to have significant influence over mainstream news channels, and now these draft IT rules appear to extend that control to social media as well. Voices that speak against the government often face actions like suspension or shutdown of their YouTube channels, Facebook pages, or other platforms. In such a scenario, independent journalism becomes even more crucial, as it brings forward ground realities that may otherwise go unheard. If these rules are used to silence dissent, it would pose a serious threat not just to freedom of expression but to the very spirit of democracy.” – The News Pinch – [link]
• “Democracy in India is gravely undermined under the current regime. In any democracy, suppressing news on social media would be unthinkable, yet it is happening here. Such actions reflect not only a disregard for democratic principles but also a troubling deficit of competence.” – @alok_nayak [link]
• “You can’t miss this. Infrastructure for mass censorship is already in place.” – Saurabh Shukla, Journalist at RedMike  – [link]
• “Your news report can be blocked...As a freelancer, your investigative reports can be taken down. As a citizen who witnesses an accident or disaster or are moved to post about a social issue or even a protest over trees being cut, your news” report can be blocked.” – Free Speech Collective [link]
• “…appear to arm MeitY with sweeping powers of content regulation, sharply increase the compliance burden on digital intermediaries, and give the executive overarching powers to block or take down content generated by “non-news publishers” and intermediaries. In other words, they severely constrict dissent and enlarge space for authoritarianism. This will directly infringe the fundamental right to free speech guaranteed to all citizens under the Constitution and will have a chilling effect on freedom of expression and the airing of contrarian views, which are fundamental to an open and functional democracy. The recent take-down of popular YouTube channels, including one that was critical of the country’s foreign policy, is a precursor of things to come in an environment blighted by conflict.” – Editors Guild of India (EGI).

  EGI was referring to the…