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| - Fact Check: No, it's not mandatory for users to verify their social media accounts within 3 months
A viral post on social media claims that in accordance with the new guidelines, within three months, all social media accounts need to be verified with a government ID. However, the government has only asked the social media platforms to provide an appropriate mechanism for users who wish to verify their accounts voluntarily.
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India Today Fact Check
The government has clarified that there is no such obligation for citizens to verify their social media accounts. The Centre has only asked social media platforms to have a provision for those who wish to verify their accounts voluntarily.
The Centre on February 25 announced new guidelines in order to regulate social media, online streaming, and digital content platforms.
Amid this, a viral post on social media claims that in accordance with the new guidelines, within three months, all social media accounts need to be verified with a government ID.
Delhi High Court lawyer Prashant Patel Umrao also posted this claim on social media. On February 25, Umrao through his verified Twitter handle wrote, “All SM accounts need to be verified with a government ID through mobile phones within three months. Welcome step. Internet is safer & more responsible now. Govt announces intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021 to safeguard users’ rights. #ottguidelines”
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the claim is misleading. The Government of India has clarified that there is no mandatory requirement for citizens to verify their social media accounts. The government has only asked the social media platforms to provide an appropriate mechanism for users who wish to verify their accounts voluntarily.
The archived versions of similar claims can be seen here, here and here.
AFWA probe
We couldn’t find any credible news report or government order regarding the mandatory verification of social media handles in India.
The new Digital Media Ethics Code was announced in a press conference chaired by Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India on its official Twitter handle shared a video of Ravi Shankar Prasad speaking about verification of social media accounts. The caption to the video read, “Users who wish to verify their accounts voluntarily shall be provided an appropriate mechanism to verify their accounts and provided with demonstrable and visible mark of verification: Union Minister.”
Prasad can be heard saying that the social media platforms must have a voluntary verification mechanism put in place.
Users who wish to verify their accounts voluntarily shall be provided an appropriate mechanism to verify their accounts and provided with demonstrable and visible mark of verification: Union Minister @rsprasad
#ResponsibleFreedom #OTTplatforms
Read: https://t.co/4P1rLLjlnF pic.twitter.com/8JVZjUhAu2 — PIB India (@PIB_India) February 25, 2021
We also went through the press release on the Digital Media Ethics Code issued by the government that mentions a “Voluntary User Verification Mechanism”. According to the government, it is only a voluntary step and not mandatory.
Under the subhead “Voluntary User Verification Mechanism,” the press release reads as follows:
“Users who wish to verify their accounts voluntarily shall be provided with an appropriate mechanism to verify their accounts and provided with a demonstrable and visible mark of verification.”
The release also says the new “rules will come in effect from the date of their publication in the gazette” and the points under the Additional Due Diligence to Be Followed by Significant Social Media Intermediary “shall come in effect 3 months after publication of these Rules.”
Further, in an interview with News18, minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the voluntary mechanism can be established only by the social media platforms and not the government.
#EXCLUSIVE If someone is active on social media, they should inform social media company about who they are. We are not asking them to disclose their identity to us. We want verification to be done by social media platform & not by govt: IT Minister @rsprasad to @maryashakil. pic.twitter.com/hqjOolUnId — News18 (@CNNnews18) February 25, 2021
The fact check division of PIB has also confirmed that the verification of accounts is not mandatory, and the viral claim is misleading.
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You can also send us an email at factcheck@intoday.com
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