Why in News?

• The Centre has informed the Madras High Court that deliberations on the Draft Information Technology [Intermediaries Guidelines (Amendment)] Rules, 2018, has been completed.

Highlights:

• The Government had sought to make it mandatory for platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter to trace originator of unlawful information.
• It had also sought to make it mandatory to remove such content within 24 hours after being notified.
• Initially, Advocate Antony Clement Rubin had approached the Court to obtain an order for linking Aadhaar with social media accounts.
• However, the HC made it clear that it was not in favour of such a plea.
• Instead, the HC expanded the scope of the case & suo motu impleaded Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, WhatsApp as parties to the case.
• This ensured that they could be made to cooperate with the local police in cracking cybercrimes by sharing necessary information
• The guidelines mandate social media companies to cooperate with the police in cracking cybercrimes.
• The Bench led by Justice Sathyanarayanan, told senior counsel, representing WhatsApp, that the social media giants were bound to obey local laws of the country in which they operate & share requisite information with the police.
• It said, the companies could not take umbrage under the right to privacy.