The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has given its approval for a new social media policy on Tuesday, with the goal of overseeing content on various platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. The policy outlines rules for handling inappropriate social media posts and requires legal steps to be taken.
According to the new policy, sharing content against the nation is a major crime that comes with harsh punishments, including prison sentences of three years to life. In the past, these behaviors were covered by Sections 66E and 66F of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which focus on breaches of privacy and cyberterrorism.
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Criminal defamation charges can be filed against obscene, defamatory posts
Moreover, sharing offensive or slanderous content on the internet can lead to criminal defamation charges, highlighting the legal consequences of abusing digital platforms, as stated by the official announcement.
The new policy will promote the sharing of government schemes, initiatives, projects, and achievement-based content through advertising on various social media platforms.
Policy to offer job prospects for social media influencers
Social media influencers have the potential to make up to Rs 8 lakh every month by promoting the government’s schemes and initiatives online. The policy will offer potential job prospects for social media influencers as well.
The policy has set specific payment caps for influencers, account holders, and operators on social media platforms as well. The maximum monthly payment limits for X, Facebook, and Instagram are Rs 5 lakh, Rs 4 lakh, and Rs 3 lakh each, respectively.
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‘V-Form’ agency to handle digital advertisements
The payment caps for videos, shorts, and podcasts on YouTube are Rs 8 lakh, Rs 7 lakh, Rs 6 lakh, and Rs 4 lakh, respectively.
According to the policy, the government has listed a digital agency, ‘V-Form,’ to handle advertisements.
