India Tightens Rules for Social Media Platforms: Unlawful Content Must Be Removed Within 3 Hours |

Updated: February 10, 2026 20:43

The Indian government has issued a notification reducing the takedown timeline for unlawful content on social media platforms from 36 hours to just 3 hours. Effective immediately, the move underscores India’s push for stricter digital governance, aiming to curb misinformation, hate speech, and unlawful online activity more swiftly.

In a landmark regulatory update, the Government of India has slashed the timeline for social media companies to remove unlawful content from 36 hours to 3 hours. The new directive, issued through an official notification, reflects the government’s intent to strengthen digital governance and ensure faster compliance by global and domestic platforms.

The rule mandates that platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube must act within three hours of receiving a government or regulatory order to take down content deemed unlawful. This includes posts related to misinformation, hate speech, threats to national security, and violations of Indian law.

Industry experts note that the move significantly raises compliance pressure on tech companies, requiring them to enhance monitoring systems, deploy faster response teams, and invest in AI-driven moderation tools. While the government argues that the measure is essential to safeguard public order and digital safety, concerns remain about balancing freedom of expression with regulatory oversight.

The new rules are part of India’s broader effort to tighten its Information Technology (IT) Act framework, ensuring accountability and transparency in the digital ecosystem.

Key Highlights

New Timeline: Unlawful content must be removed within 3 hours (previously 36 hours).
Scope: Applies to all major social media platforms operating in India.
Compliance Pressure: Platforms must strengthen monitoring and moderation systems.
Government Objective: Faster action against misinformation, hate speech, and unlawful activity.
Industry Concerns: Debate over freedom of expression vs. regulatory control.
Policy Context: Part of India’s evolving IT Act and digital governance framework.

Sources: Economic Times – Government Notification on Social Media Rules; Business Standard – IT Act Compliance Update; Mint – Digital Governance and Regulatory Oversight

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