The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Yogi Adityanath, has introduced significant updates to its social media regulations. Under the policy, distributing anti-national content is considered a grave offence, punishable by severe penalties, including imprisonment ranging from three years to life term.
Previously, such actions fell under Sections 66E and 66F of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which covers privacy breaches and cyberterrorism.
This new policy, affecting platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube, imposes severe penalties for posting ‘objectionable’ content and offers enticing opportunities for influencers.
The Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, crafted by the state’s information department, has received approval from the UP cabinet. A designated digital agency, ‘V-Form,’ will now manage advertisements, overseeing the presentation of videos, tweets, posts, and reels to prevent the sharing of obscene or defamatory content online.
Additionally, the policy sets payment limits for influencers and social media account holders. For platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram, the maximum monthly payments are Rs 5 lakh, Rs 4 lakh, and Rs 3 lakh, respectively. On YouTube, the limits are Rs 8 lakh for videos, Rs 7 lakh for shorts, Rs 6 lakh for podcasts, and Rs 4 lakh for other content.
