Government Issues Advisory To Social Media Firms On Flight Hoax Threats, Warns Of Penalties For Inaction

In response to a surge in threat messages—nearly 300-400—targeting Indian airline flights over the last two weeks, the Indian government has issued an advisory for social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Meta. The advisory urges these companies to “make reasonable efforts to disallow such malicious acts including hoax bomb threats from being disseminated on their platforms,” as shared by the Ministry of Electronics and IT on October 25.

The ministry’s advisory notes that the rapid spread of hoax bomb threats has been “dangerously unrestrained,” facilitated by the platforms’ forwarding, re-sharing, and re-tweeting features. This misinformation disrupts public order, airline operations, and the safety of passengers, affecting both domestic and international flights and leading to costly delays, disruptions, and diversions.

To address this, social media companies have been instructed to “observe their due diligence obligations,” which include promptly removing or disabling access to such content under the IT Rules, 2021. Additionally, these intermediaries face further obligations under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), to report offenses that might “threaten the unity, integrity, sovereignty, security, or economic security of India.”

The advisory explains that “multiple hoax bomb threats have been received by various airlines operating in India through various means including social media intermediaries during the last few days.” It highlights how these hoaxes have not only affected airlines and passengers but also pose a “potential threat to the public order & security of the state,” undermining both citizen safety and national economic security.