Must take action on hoax bomb threats to airlines, IT Ministry tells social media platforms

New Delhi : Amid the unabated hoax bomb threats to airlines via global Internet platforms, the Centre on Saturday directed social media intermediaries like Elon Musk-headed X and Meta to ensure due diligence and promptly remove misinformation that affects public order and security of the state.

In an advisory, the IT Ministry said such hoax bomb threats are mostly misinformation that is massively disrupting the public order, operations of airlines and security of airline travellers.

Indian airlines have received more than 100 hoax bomb threats in a few days, forcing delays and emergency landings.

"Considering the serious nature of the situation, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reminds with emphasis that all the intermediaries including social media intermediaries must make reasonable efforts to disallow such malicious acts including hoax bomb threats from being disseminated on their platforms," read the advisory.

The advisory further stated that the intermediaries including social media intermediaries must observe their due diligence obligations that include the prompt removal or disabling access to such unlawful information specified under the IT Rules, 2021, including hoax bomb threats, well within the strict timelines as prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021.

Apart from removing or disabling access to such misinformation under the IT Rules, 2021 as part of the reasonable efforts to be undertaken, "there is an additional liability on concerned intermediaries under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) to mandatorily report certain offences perceived to be committed by any user of their platform that includes, among others, any act with the intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, sovereignty, security, or economic security of India".

Amid a surge in hoax bomb threats, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has expressed serious concern, saying the government is committed to taking strict action against those responsible for these malicious acts.

On Friday, over 20 flights of various airlines reportedly received bomb threats.

"Considering the serious nature of the situation, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reminds with emphasis that all the intermediaries including social media intermediaries must make reasonable efforts to disallow such malicious acts including hoax bomb threats from being disseminated on their platforms," the IT Ministry said.

In this regard, the intermediaries including social media intermediaries must observe their due diligence obligations that include the prompt removal or disabling access to such unlawful information specified under the IT Rules, 2021, including hoax bomb threats, well within the strict timelines as prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021, said the ministry.