New UP Social Media Policy: Strict Penalties For Anti-National Posts

The Uttar Pradesh government has introduced a stringent social media policy aimed at regulating content on popular platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

With the goal of curbing objectionable material, the policy sets forth severe legal consequences for violations, including potential life imprisonment for anti-national posts. Beyond its regulatory measures, the policy also offers lucrative incentives for social media influence

One of the key aspects of the policy is the harsh penalties for posting anti-national content, which can now lead to severe consequences, including imprisonment ranging from three years to a life term. Previously, such offenses were dealt with under Sections 66E and 66F of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which pertained to privacy violations and cyberterrorism.

The policy also addresses the dissemination of obscene or defamatory material online, making it clear that such actions can result in criminal defamation charges, emphasizing the serious legal implications of misusing digital platforms.

In addition to its regulatory measures, the policy encourages the sharing of government schemes, initiatives, projects, and achievements on social media. To incentivize this, influencers can earn up to Rs 8 lakh per month by promoting these government-related contents on their platforms, providing significant earning opportunities.

Payment limits for influencers have been set according to the platform. For X, Facebook, and Instagram, the maximum monthly payment limits 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, and Rs 6 lakh and Rs 4 lakh for podcasts and reels.

To manage the advertisement campaigns and ensure effective outreach, the government has designated a digital agency, 'V-Form,' to handle the promotion of videos, tweets, posts, and reels related to government schemes and initiatives across these platforms.