Government considers social media code of conduct for officials

Government officials are on the brink of a new social media code of conduct aimed at regulating their online behavior. This initiative seeks to tackle issues related to employees expressing personal views and sharing videos that could harm public perception. The updated rules also emphasize quicker removal of inappropriate content, reinforcing the framework that governs online interactions, especially concerning sensitive topics and deepfake technology.

The government is considering a social media code of conduct for its officers and employees amid a growing trend of government staff posting reels, videos and personal views on platforms such as X, Facebook and Instagram, official sources said.

The proposal has been discussed at the highest levels of the government, with officials examining the need for guidelines to prevent government employees from posting videos or expressing opinions on subjects deemed inappropriate on social media, the sources said.

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The proposed code, once finalised, is expected to apply to officers and employees across ranks. However, the timeline for its introduction and the nature of the guidelines are yet to be finalised.

The move follows an increase in instances of government officials posting content on social media that highlights their work and official positions, something that the government believes may not be appropriate for public servants, according to the sources.

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The government also believes there is a need for a formal framework as there are currently no specific rules governing the social media activity of government officers and employees, the sources said.

The consideration of a code comes against the backdrop of tighter government oversight of social media platforms and online content.

Last month, the government reduced the timeline for social media platforms to take down content involving sensitive matters to two hours from the earlier 24 hours.

The changes were made to the Information Technology Rules, 2021, on February 10 this year as part of efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework for addressing harms arising from synthetically generated information (SGI), including deepfakes and AI-generated content.

"Strengthening of timelines for compliance, including reduced timelines for removal of unlawful information upon actual knowledge upon valid reasoned intimation from the appropriate government or court orders (timeline reduced from 36 hours to 3 hours) and for grievance redressal (including special categories such as nudity/impersonation etc) (timeline reduced from 72 hours to 36 hours and 24 hours to 2 hours for sensitive matters, respectively),"; an official statement issued on August 6 said.