Indian ministry revises online gaming and social media intermediary rules

In April, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) notified amendments to Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to make intermediary companies, including online gaming and social media intermediaries companies, more vigilant about online gaming and spreading false and misleading information about government affairs.

Some of the significant changes include restricting inappropriate and harmful content for children, the ability for citizens to file complaints, imposing penalties on online gaming operators for violations, and introducing monitoring and mandatory verification mechanisms for real-money games. 

With the changes to MeitY, it will be critical for companies to implement appropriate access control measures as there will be additional requirements for real-money games, including verification of users through know-your-customer processes. Compliance with these rules and any legal requirements relating to the age of consent will be a prerequisite for verifying such games. MeitY’s changes may be critical in resolving concerns about children’s access to online games.