Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has come out with a new digital media policy that will empanel digital content creators and give them paid advertisements for as much as Rs 8 lakh per month.
The Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy 2024, aimed at regulating content on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, X and Instagram, also authorises legal action against posts considered “anti-national” or “anti-social”.
The information department said content posted on these digital media handles or channels should generally be about the state’s social, administrative, religious, financial and cultural matters to receive paid advertisements from the government.
The new policy has faced flak for allegedly incentivising paid promotion of its work. Critics also say its provisions on legal action for what the government considers objectionable content will stifle free speech.
If a content creator posts any objectionable content or content that violates The Information Technology Act, 2000, the director of the information department, also known as Soochna, will cancel the empanelment, according to the policy.
The government has also specified that if a digital content creator is issued any advertisement, its content should not be “indecent, obscene or anti-national”.
Under the new policy, digital content creators focused on Uttar Pradesh’s culture, development and news will be given priority for advertisements.
The government will issue advertisements on the basis of the number of followers a digital content creator has and they will also be required to submit data analytics of the content posted along with the advertisements.
Reputed non-empaneled digital media influencers can also be issued advertisements based on their subscribers/followers.
Payment will only be made after the government ensures the content posted is based on subjects related to Uttar Pradesh social, administrative, religious, financial and cultural matters.
“Moreover, the framework of the content should be according to the subject and its motive should be to create awareness among the common public about the different subjects pertaining to the state and increasing knowledge,” the policy states.
Also read: Fixed timings, secure transport among ‘suggestions’ by UP govt in aftermath of RG Kar case
Blacklisting and cancellation of advertisement
The policy states that the government will cancel advertisements and stop payments if any content is considered “anti-national, anti-social, indecent, hurtful” towards different communities or if it presents the government’s schemes incorrectly.
One of the policy’s controversial provisions is that the department can take legal action for such content.
“Any such content/video/tweet/post/reel which is anti-national, anti-social, indecent or hurts the feelings of different classes/based on wrong facts/presents government’s schemes in wrongful manner or with wrong motive, in that situation, the said content can be completely cancelled and legal action will be taken against the concerned by director, Soochna,” the policy states.
Digital content creators or the agencies/firms associated with them who refuse to use the government’s advertisements or file an incorrect data analytics report can be blacklisted.
Categories for listing digital media platforms
The policy has four categories for empaneling digital media platforms: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
For a Facebook page with 1 lakh subscribers/followers to be empaneled, it has to have posted five original videos or 10 original posts per month over the past six months.
A Facebook page with 10 lakh subscribers/followers needs 10 original videos or 20 original posts per month over the past six months to be empaneled.
Similarly, for an X account with 1 lakh subscribers/followers to be empaneled, it has to have posted eight original videos or 15 original posts per month over the past six months.
An X account with 5 lakh subscribers/followers can be empaneled if it has posted 15 original videos or 30 original posts per month over the past six months.
For an Instagram account with 1 lakh subscribers/followers to be empaneled, it has to have posted eight original videos or 15 original posts per month over the past six months. An Instagram account with 5 lakh subscribers/followers can be empanelled if it has posted 15 original videos or 30 original posts per month over the past six months.
A YouTube account holder with 1 lakh subscribers/followers can be empaneled if it has uploaded six original videos per month over the past six months.
Similarly, a YouTube account holder with minimum 10 lakh subscribers/followers has to have uploaded 12 original videos per month over the past six months to be empaneled.
Payment for advertisements
Payments are based on the number of followers but the department has announced payment limits for digital content creators across social media platforms.
YouTubers can be paid a maximum Rs 8 lakh a month for videos/shorts/podcasts while the payments for X, Facebook and Instagram account holders are capped at Rs 5 lakh.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray)
Also read: Centre brings ‘digital news broadcasters’ under broadcast bill but doesn’t define them clearly