Big News for Social Media Users in UP: The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is taking strict measures against objectionable posts on social media. In a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the UP Digital Media Policy-2024 was approved. Under this policy, life imprisonment could be imposed for posting obscene or anti-national content.
New Policy Details:
- Promotion of Government Schemes:
The policy includes provisions for agencies and firms working on social media to promote government schemes and achievements. Ads will be provided to promote content, videos, tweets, and posts related to the state’s plans and successes. - Advertisement Payments:
Social media platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube will be categorized based on their subscribers and followers. The maximum monthly payment limits are set as follows:
- X, Facebook, Instagram: Up to 5 lakh, 4 lakh, 3 lakh, and 3 lakh rupees respectively.
- YouTube: Up to 8 lakh, 7 lakh, 6 lakh, and 4 lakh rupees for videos, shorts, and podcasts.
- Legal Actions:
Content must not be obscene, explicit, or anti-national. Previously, such cases were handled under the IT Act. Now, the new policy includes stricter actions, including life imprisonment for anti-national activities and criminal defamation for posting obscene content.
Government’s Strict Approach:
The Uttar Pradesh government is introducing this policy for the first time to control such issues. The policy provides for penalties ranging from three years to life imprisonment for those found guilty of anti-national activities. For obscene and inappropriate content, criminal defamation charges may also apply.
The central government had previously issued guidelines and a digital media ethics code to curb such actions.
