GNI Raises Concerns Over India’s Draft IT Amendment Rules 2026

May 18, 2026  |  Policy

The Global Network Initiative (GNI) expresses deep concern over India’s Draft Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Second Amendment Rules, 2026, warning that the proposed changes could undermine privacy, free expression, and due process online.

While the amendments are framed as “clarificatory and procedural,” they introduce substantive changes that expand executive authority over digital platforms, increase data retention obligations, and broaden the scope of content regulation to include users sharing news and current affairs content.

Read the full Statement here

The statement highlights concerns that the amendments could:

• Expand overbroad and untransparent government influence over platform moderation decisions through non-binding advisories and guidelines;
• Undermine data protection principles by mandating extended retention of user data;
• Increase risks of over-censorship and chilling effects on lawful online speech; and
• Extend state-controlled content regulation mechanisms to ordinary users.

GNI calls for the Government of India to withdraw or substantially revise the proposed amendments and ensure that any digital governance measures align with constitutional protections, international human rights standards, and principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, transparency, and accountability.

The full statement also calls for meaningful consultation with civil society, industry, and technical experts in the development of digital policy frameworks.