Social media platforms and press freedom

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s call for the news media to self-regulate is important given that many unregulated websites/social media accounts are masquerading as news media outlets

In 2005, a national conference was held at Jubilee Hall in Public Gardens, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Then Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sudini Jaipal Reddy was the chief guest for the event organised by the Andhra Pradesh Press Academy to discuss whether there should be a Lakshman Rekha for news media.

In his inaugural speech, Reddy said, "When newspapers and media organisations lose their credibility, there is no need for any further punishment. Losing credibility itself is as grave as hanging oneself.”

Then Press Council Chairman Justice G N Ray asked: “Should a similar boundary be drawn for the media today? What could be a greater boundary than self-regulation? The media must draw its own lines and ensure they do not cross them, constantly checking themselves.”

Two decades later it seems we need to revisit this topic with more urgency. On March 15, Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy spoke in the Assembly, urging for a discussion on media behaviour. He directed his ministers to discuss with journalist associations to distinguish between real journalists and those masquerading as journalists. In his speech, Revanth Reddy stated, "Identify who the real journalists are. If they commit mistakes, you decide what punishment they should get. But if people who are not journalists misuse the profession, we will take strict legal action.”

Why has the chief minister felt the need to speak so strongly? Back in 2005, when the above-mentioned national conference was organised, social media did not exist in its current avatar. Today, news media is a 24X7 cycle, and social media platforms like YouTube, X, Facebook, among others, have millions of users who create and freely consume content.

However, unlike traditional media, there are no stringent regulations controlling these platforms. The chief minister's concerns likely stem from the chaos caused by this unregulated media landscape.

Not only social media platforms, even select 24-hour news channels operate recklessly, airing defamatory content for political or commercial gains, or just to go ‘viral’ and thereby gain popularity/notoriety. Between 2019 and 2024, a few Telugu news channels were accused of running politically-biased campaigns against then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and his government. Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned these media outlets, yet refrained from taking legal action against them.

In Telangana, the issue has escalated further. A YouTube channel recently aired a video where obscene language has been used against Revanth Reddy, and even death threats were issued. Political motives are alleged to be one of the reasons behind this campaign against the current government. This has led to the arrest of two women journalists, a move which has been criticised by the Opposition. On March 17, the journalists were granted bail.

Do journalists have immunity against such arrests? Jaipal Reddy’s words from 2005 about the loss of credibility become relevant here.

Unlike traditional print and television media, social media platforms lack gatekeepers, editorial checks and balances, and often suffer no consequences for misinformation. In the current case, the video shared was not a live telecast, but prerecorded content where quality checks could have been carried out. This recklessness is precisely why Revanth Reddy suggested a law to control unrestrained media behaviour.

In the 2005 national conference, senior journalists like Ramoji Rao, Kuldeep Nayar, and Rajdeep Sardesai, along with Shantha Sinha and K G Kannabiran warned that ‘if the media does not regulate itself, someone else will step in to do it.’

Twenty years later, we once again face the same question: Does news media need a Lakshman Rekha?

Perhaps more than ever, we now need clear distinctions between legitimate news media and unregulated digital platforms.

What is happening today is not a battle between the government and journalism — it is a battle between unregulated digital platforms and government institutions. Since many social media sites operate outside any journalistic or media framework, their actions cannot be defended under the banner of press freedom. Similarly, any legal action taken against them should not be seen as an attack on journalism.

(Amar Devulapalli, is Editor, Mana Telangana. He was Adviser for National Media and Inter-State Affairs for the previous Andhra Pradesh government.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.