New Delhi: India’s push to tighten control over online content may soon get even stricter. The government is now exploring whether social media platforms should remove flagged content within one hour, cutting down the already compressed 2 to 3-hour window introduced recently.

This comes at a time when digital platforms are already adjusting to faster compliance timelines.

The Govt may reduce takedown window to 1 hour

According to a report by The Indian Express, the proposal is still at an early stage. A senior official said the decision will depend on how well platforms follow the current rules.

“What would play a crucial role in determining whether the timeline should be further shortened to an hour is the compliance track record of social media companies with the recently implemented 2-3 hour time window,” the official said.

The current rule itself is new. Platforms were earlier given up to 36 hours to act on unlawful content.

What the new rules already require

The updated IT Rules 2021 have already brought major changes. Social media companies must now act much faster.

Here is what is in place right now:

• Non-consensual images must be removed within 2 hours
• Other unlawful content must be taken down within 3 hours
• Earlier limit was 24 to 36 hours

Officials believe faster removal can stop harmful content from spreading quickly.

Growing pressure on platforms and concerns raised

Tech companies have raised concerns privately. Meta has said these timelines could be “challenging” to meet, especially without prior consultation.

At the same time, the government is expanding who can issue blocking orders. Ministries like Home Affairs and Defence may soon get this power, which is currently limited.

Users have also flagged issues. Some say posts that are critical or satirical are being taken down more often as platforms try to comply faster.

The government says the goal is to act against unlawful content quickly. But as timelines shrink, the balance between speed and accuracy will become harder to manage.

The final call will depend on how things play out in the coming weeks.