On Friday, the government published the regulations that it will use to create appeals tribunals to address any complaints consumers may have regarding decisions made by social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to post divisive content.

According to a gazette notice published by MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology), the three-member Grievance Appellate Committee(s) will be established in three months.

Along with pornography, trademark infringements, false information, and anything that would pose a threat to national sovereignty, the government has included offensive religious content (intended to encourage violence) to the new guidelines that users can report to social media sites. Such flagging-related decisions made by them might be contested in grievance committees.

Ashwini Vaishnaw, the IT minister, tweeted shortly after the modifications were announced: 'user empowerment For the purpose of considering appeals against the judgments of the Grievance Officer designated by the intermediary, the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) has been established '.

The government appears to have adopted the position that users' objections about content on social media platforms need to be resolved by a grievance appellate authority, contrary to the big internet corporations' advocacy for self-regulation.

Users initially file grievances with the grievance officer against content or another user. The rules have now been altered as a result of the notification on Friday to enhance the grievance redressal procedure.

According to the revisions, social media companies must acknowledge and respond to user complaints within 24 hours of getting them and within 15 days of receiving them. The content that could be the subject of complaints includes 'objectionable' material that fosters 'enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion or caste with the intent to incite violence,' as well as nudity, trademark and patent infringements, false information, impersonation of others, content that threatens the unity and integrity of the nation.

According to the regulations, social media sites must remove particular controversial content within 72 hours of receiving a notification. The content moderation and other decisions made by social media sites like Meta and Twitter will be subject to review by the appeal committees.

Within three months of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2022 going into effect, 'the central government shall, by notification, create one or more grievance appellate bodies,' according to the notification. Each grievance appellate committee will include a chairperson, two full-time members (two of whom must be independent), and one ex-officio member who are all selected by the central government.