Que : Social media and ‘encrypted’ messaging services pose a serious security challenge. What steps have been taken at various levels to address the security implications of social media? Also suggest any other measures to address this problem.

Social media and encrypted messaging services (like WhatsApp, Telegram) pose security challenges, such as dissemination of misinformation, cyberbullying and terrorist activities. With over 50 crore users in India (TRAI 2025), this has implications for national security. Eg., the 2018 fake news killings. Encryption makes traceability difficult, which gives an advantage to criminals. This has been further strengthened by developments like DPDP Draft Rules and Income Tax Bill in 2025.

• Steps taken at various levels:

• Legal and Regulatory Level:

•  IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021: Mandatory removal of illegal content by social media platforms (like Facebook, Twitter-x), appointment of Chief Compliance Officer and sharing of information within 72 hours, stricter rules for social media intermediaries (SSMIs) on important issues. Baseline security measures like encryption, obfuscation and cloaking mandatory from DPDP Draft Rules in 2025 (public notice till 18 February 2025).

•  IT Act, 2000 (Section 69A): Content blocking for national security. E.g., use of ‘Sahayog’ platform by Railway Ministry in 2025 to remove critical posts on social media.

•  Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP): Ensures data privacy, protects against theft. Draft Rules of 2025 provide for fines and security orders of up to ₹250 crore.

Income Tax Bill 2025: Empowers security agencies with court orders to trace originators of encrypted communications accessible by overriding passwords and encryption in digital space, against financial fraud.

• International cooperation: Cybersecurity initiatives in BRICS and G20 (inspired by EU’s Digital Services Act.)

• Institutional and implementation level:

•  Indian Cyber ​​Crime Coordination Centre (14C): Monitors cyber crimes, coordinates on social media threats. 8,000 complaints per day by 2025 (NCRB 2025).

•  Cyber ​​Task Force: Social media monitoring by police.

•  Platform collaboration: WhatsApp imposes forwarding limits. Government works with platforms to remove fake news.

•  Surveillance laws: Encrypted data access for national security.

• Awareness and education level:

•  Cyber ​hygiene centers: Safe use

•  Media literacy programs: Learning to identify fake news by government and NGOs

• International: OECD guidelines on balancing privacy and security. Comprehensive policy recommendations on extreme speech in encrypted messaging in 2024-25 research.

• Other measures to address the problem:

• National social media policy: Threat identification by adopting SOCMINT (Social Media Intelligence) model.

• Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs): Data anonymization with end-to-end encryption and local threat detection with AI. Maintaining security by not targeting encryption uncontrollably.

•  Key Esco System: A balanced approach to encryption, where legal constraints are possible but general privacy is maintained.

User education campaign: Promoting digital literacy in schools/colleges, fake news verification tools (such as fact-check sites)

• Global collaboration: Data sharing through networks like IAWN, and partnerships with the private sector (Meta, Google)

• Blockchain integration: For transaction transparency.

Thus, the above solutions will solve the problem by balancing privacy and security.