The Centre is considering a social media code of conduct for government officers and employees as concerns grow over officials posting reels, videos and personal views on platforms such as X, Facebook and Instagram, according to media reports.
The proposal has been discussed at senior levels of the government and is aimed at laying down clearer boundaries for what government employees can post online. The proposed framework is expected to cover officers and staff across ranks, although its timeline and specific provisions are yet to be finalised, reports said.
The move comes amid a rise in government personnel using social media to showcase their work, official activities and positions. The government is understood to be concerned about posts that could be seen as inappropriate for public servants or that blur the line between an official role and personal social media activity.
According to The Times of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked senior bureaucrats to explore the possibility of framing such guidelines. The report also noted that existing conduct rules were drafted before the rise of social media and do not contain specific provisions governing officials’ online activity.
The proposed Centre-wide framework would also come against the backdrop of some states moving to tighten social media rules for government employees. Bihar, for instance, introduced stricter norms earlier this year restricting officials from posting personal views on government policies and political matters, while also barring workplace-related reels, videos and livestreams without approval.
The Centre has simultaneously tightened the broader regulatory framework governing online content. In February, it amended the Information Technology Rules, 2021 to introduce stricter obligations around synthetically generated information, including deepfakes and AI-generated content. The amendments also shortened certain content-removal timelines, with platforms required to act within three hours on specified unlawful-content notices and within two hours for certain sensitive complaints.
The proposed code for government employees would therefore add an internal layer of regulation at a time when the government is also expanding its oversight of how information is created, shared and moderated across digital platforms.
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First Published on September 4, 2026, 18:40:00 IST
