'Life Term For Anti-India Posts': UP Introduces Stern Social Media Policy | 5 Points

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh State Cabinet approved the Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, drafted by the state information department on Tuesday which aims to regulate content across major social media platforms, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

• Curbing anti-social, anti-national elements 

Under the new policy, posts which will display anti-national content will be considered a serious offense with severe penalties, ranging from three years to life imprisonment. Previously, such offenses fell under Sections 66E and 66F of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which address privacy violations and cyberterrorism.

• Addresses spread of obscene or defamatory material online

The policy also addresses the spread of obscene or defamatory material online, which can lead to criminal defamation charges, highlighting the serious legal consequences of misusing digital platforms.

• New policy encourages sharing content related to government schemes and initiatives

In a positive development, the new policy encourages sharing content related to government schemes, initiatives, and achievements by providing advertisements on social media. Influencers who promote these government-related topics can earn up to Rs 8 lakh per month. 

• Specific payment limits for influencers and account holders across

Additionally, the policy is set to create potential job opportunities for social media influencers. It establishes specific payment limits for influencers and account holders across various platforms.

 X users can earn up to Rs 5 lakh per month, Facebook users are capped at Rs 4 lakh, and Instagram users at Rs 3 lakh. On YouTube, payment caps vary by content type: standard videos are limited to Rs 8 lakh per month, shorts to Rs 7 lakh, podcasts to Rs 6 lakh, and other content types to Rs 4 lakh.  

• sharing obscene or defamatory content could lead to criminal defamation

Furthermore, the official statement mentions that sharing obscene or defamatory content online could lead to criminal defamation charges, emphasising the legal consequences of abusing digital platforms.