Proposed changes to IT Rules, 2021 expand government takedown powers, tighten platform compliance, and raise fresh fears over ...

The IT rules do not silence voices directly; they create conditions in which silence is safer. And when speech is placed ...

Experts say the move could significantly expand the government’s authority over news-related content shared by ordinary users, including independent journalists and podcasters ...

As digital rights observers have noted, such a framework can encourage over-compliance by platforms and normalise a form of silent censorship—where content disappears without explanation or recourse.

While well-intentioned, the bill excessively invades free speech, and criminalises communication in a vague and arbitrary manner. This statement was originally published on sflc.in on 24 July 2025.

India is on the verge of a regulatory shift that could quietly redefine the nature of free speech in the digital age.