Social media messages may impact harmony. Therefore, the Government of India has sent clear message to Social media platforms to follow the law strictly or face action.

A committee of secretaries headed by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba was constituted after lynching of nearly 40 people in last one year probably due to circulation of fake news in popular social media platforms like WhatsApp. This high-level committee submitted its report to a Group of Ministers headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The Home Minister will submit the committee's recommendations to PM Narendra Modi very soon.

The country representatives of all global social media platforms are in India. In case there are serious violation, then action may be initiated against them, sources said,

The top officials of different ministries and departments deliberated the issue in the wake of reports of many incidents of lynching, communal tension following circulation of fake news and communally sensitive videos.

During recent meetings with the representatives of the Twitter India, Facebook, WhatsApp and Youtube, the government officials made it clear that the social media platforms have to comply with the government directives.

This committee has suggested tightening the law by inserting clauses in the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure as well to ensure stringent action against those who are caught violating the law.

The panel report will now be discussed by the GoM comprising External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad  and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot. The home minister heads this GoM.