What MIB wants
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory on November 2, 2026, telling OTT platforms, digital news publishers and online intermediaries to comply with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and its Rules, as the ministry puts it, ‘in letter and spirit’. It says it has seen instances of noncompliance but does not identify the platforms, content or provisions involved.
The advisory, signed by Deputy Secretary Arpitha S., sets out nine content guidelines. It was also copied to self-regulatory bodies under the IT Rules, 2021.
- Timestamp older and external visuals: mark original date, location and context on archival footage, and name the source for material taken from social media or other external sources.
- Limit live coverage of anti-terror operations: avoid real-time tactical positions, movement of security personnel, access routes or operational details; rely on authorised briefings until an operation ends.
- Mask violent or disturbing visuals: use blurring or masking where warranted, with date and time stamps where necessary.
- Keep crime and violence depictions verified: headlines, thumbnails and captions should not materially misrepresent an event, and extra sensitivity is expected for content involving women and children.
- Handle disasters carefully: date- and time-stamp visuals in natural calamities and major accidents, and report verified facts to avoid panic.
- Use only authentic Indian maps: rely on Survey of India maps across OTT, intermediary and news content.
- Protect communal harmony: present coverage of religious or linguistic communities, quotations, visuals and allegations in proper context.
- Protect sexual offence victims: the advisory uses ‘shall’ for this item, directing compliance with Supreme Court protections, including the Nipun Saxena case.
- Disclose AI and synthetic media: verify altered photos, video and audio, and disclose synthetic content when it is connected to real people or events.
MIB also wants platforms to strengthen editorial and content-review mechanisms and run workshops or sensitisation sessions so staff understand the IT Act and Rules. The AI disclosure point aligns with MeitY’s February 2026 amendments.
Why the ambiguity matters
The advisory names no non-compliant entity, no offending content and no specific rule that was breached. For compliance teams, that creates a wide but uncertain mandate: they know what to check, but not which lapse triggered the ministry’s concern or how enforcement might follow.
It arrives after two MeitY advisories in October: one on manipulated or false content that could affect public order, and one aimed at Meta’s recommendation systems. The Internet Freedom Foundation called the Meta advisory ‘a censorship directive in all but name’. Together, the moves suggest a tighter scrutiny cycle for online content, not a one-off notice.
What teams should do now
Treat the nine points as a pre-publication audit. Archive provenance, UGC sourcing, AI labelling, map templates and crisis-reporting protocols are now operational checks, not just legal footnotes.
The practical next step is to turn the advisory into a short checklist for producers, editors and social teams: timestamp the visual, name the source, disclose synthetic media, verify the map, and redact anything that can identify a victim. Then document the review, because the ministry has signalled that noncompliance is already on its radar.
Source: MEDIANAMA
