Abstract

During the pandemic, social media was the only means through which we were able to interact with one another. This extensive use of these platforms facilitated interactions during this period, but it also revealed a number of disadvantages associated with them. Because social media is a platform where no one individual is referred to as a producer or a consumer, and because everyone has the ability to share information with others all over the world virtually, these characteristics together have contributed to the recent growth in the number of cyber crimes. Efforts by the government to regulate these mediums have stalled, and social media platforms themselves are subjected to a number of unwarranted restrictions placed by the government on their policies, which are interfering with the rights of users and causing turmoil in cyberspace. On the subject of Information Technology Act 2001 and Amendment of 2008, this paper addresses the advances in law as well as lacunae that have been identified. It also includes a discussion of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 and charges that have been brought against them. This study also examines theories of regulation, as well as how to regulate and not regulate social media platforms, among other topics. It also makes a recommendation for a Uniform Social Media Framework, which would eliminate the obstacles of territorial jurisdiction and differences in national laws that prevent offenders from being convicted.

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