Posting doctored videos, hate speech in Jammu to attract 3-year jail: Officials

Jammu, Apr 17: Posting doctored videos, hate speech, or communally inflammatory content on social media platforms in the Jammu district will attract a jail term of up to three years.
​District Magistrate Jammu, Dr. Rakesh Minhas, has issued a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, banning the posting, sharing, or forwarding of such content for a period of 60 days.
​The directive, which takes immediate effect, applies to all individuals within the territorial jurisdiction of District Jammu. It remains enforceable regardless of the digital platform utilized or the physical location from which the content originates, provided the material impacts public order within the district.
​The mandate explicitly prohibits seven categories of online activity. These include posting content that promotes enmity between communities based on religion, race, caste, language, or region; circulating morphed, doctored, or out-of-context multimedia; spreading law-and-order rumors; and orchestrating mob violence via social networks. The order encompasses all major digital platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and Telegram.
​Violations will trigger simultaneous legal action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000. Under Section 196(1) of the BNS, promoting group enmity carries a penalty of up to three years of imprisonment, a fine, or both. Actions endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India under Section 152 of the BNS can result in imprisonment for up to seven years or a life term, alongside financial penalties.
​Administrators and moderators of WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, Facebook pages, and YouTube channels operating within or targeting Jammu residents will bear joint liability for ensuring that no prohibited content is circulated within their digital spaces.
​Social media intermediaries are required to execute takedown requests expeditiously via the government's Sahyog platform. Failure to comply will result in the forfeiture of safe-harbor protections under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000.
​To ensure stringent enforcement, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, has been instructed to guarantee the prompt registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) against violators. Concurrently, the Jammu Cyber Crime Unit will maintain round-the-clock surveillance across social media platforms to proactively identify prohibited material. Furthermore, special Social Media Monitoring Cells will be established at the sub-divisional level under the supervision of the respective Sub-Divisional Magistrates.
​Authorities have directed all residents to refrain from forwarding inflammatory content and to immediately report such material to the nearest police station or the Cyber Crime Unit. The prohibitory order will remain in effect for 60 days from the date of issuance unless extended, modified, or revoked earlier. (KNS)