With the panic that arose out of the ‘Social Media Ban’ that was going to be announced wherein platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, would be banned, Twitter India was flooded with tweets regarding the same.
Amidst all this chaos, #Orkut started trending on Twitter, in memory of the platform which existed in the pre-social media era. People started tweeting about their memories while a few chose to also express their disdain towards it.
https://twitter.com/MausamChandera/status/1397421602321559554
*Meanwhile 90s kids*
❤❤#orkut #banned #TwitterBanInIndia pic.twitter.com/3B9Np6NTyD— Aman Goyal (@A_man_at_peace) May 25, 2021
I remember using it in college and it was so much fun and easy to use. Writing testimonials, visiting friends page may at times spying through the scraps was a good past time. #orkut #banned #TwitterBanInIndia
— Tulika (@tulikajv) May 26, 2021
Why is #Orkut trending?
Please don't tell me they are bringing it back.— Kaveri 🇮🇳 (@ikaveri) May 25, 2021
An entire generation has adulted without knowing that there was something called as Orkut.
— Kaustubh Naik (@mundcar) May 22, 2021
I still love #orkut it was real Social Media Platform. I was there on the last day Sep 30 2014.
Scraps, Groups, Testimonials it was all fun and Genuine Friends.
Wish it comes back. pic.twitter.com/CfwebTwsAx
— Dharma Chandru (@dharmachandru) May 25, 2021
Meme templates also started picking up the pace on #Orkut
People born after 2000 looking at #Orkut trend pic.twitter.com/mte4kAb2yc
— Rosa Barks (@therosabarks) May 25, 2021
Twitter and facebook going to be #banned from tomorrow
And #orkut is trending on twitter
Meanwhile Orkut Büyükkökten : pic.twitter.com/qL4icAPrUM
— Pankaj Khanna (@itsmepankajkh) May 25, 2021
#orkut is the OG pic.twitter.com/x79KbRVMXy
— StopBeingBoring (@BoringStopBeing) May 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/ud998/status/1397275331166277635
While brands and influencers also joined in the Orkut feels with their messaging.
#Orkut is trending so we're feeling nostalgic
It's the blissful '00s, you wake up to "good morning" messages on your flip phone (don't use up all 100 SMSes yet). You put on your low-waist jeans and walk to tuitions while listening to "Hips Don't Lie" on your iPod.
— Myntra (@myntra) May 26, 2021
Lmao only the indian govt could get #Orkut to trend in 2021
— Andre Borges (@borges) May 25, 2021
We're currently taking aid from a pretty big list of democratic countries. I do not think Twitter and Facebook which are seen as vehicles and measures of democratic thought are going anywhere.
Having said that….is orkut still a thing?
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) May 25, 2021
The new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, also known as the new IT Rules 2021, are applicable today. The new rule states that “When an intermediary fails to observe these rules, the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 79 of the Act shall not be applicable for such intermediary and the intermediary shall be liable for punishment under any law for the time being in force including the provisions of the Act and the Indian Penal Code”.
Section 79 gives digital media platforms the immunity against liability for posts that are uploaded on their networks, and for any involving third party information or data. The new IT Rules 2021 state that this immunity that is provided to all digital media companies will be withdrawn and that these platforms will evidently become a part of the legal proceedings should social media companies not comply with the new rules that have been doled out.
Sub-section 1 of section 79 of the IT Act says, “Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force but subject to the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3), an intermediary shall not be liable for any third-party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted by him.”
Sub-sections 2 and 3 states that the legal immunity provisions apply if “the function of the intermediary is limited to providing access to a communication system over which information made available by third parties is transmitted or temporarily stored or hosted”. The intermediary does not initiate the transmission, select the receiver of the transmission or select and modify the information contained in any transmission.
Based on all these rules and regulations, it is understood that social media companies may face grievance redressal and lose legal immunity for any legal proceedings in India which will hold them responsible for the content that gets uploaded on their platforms. This in no way states that there could be a ban applied for any non-compliance, hence, proving all rumours to be baseless.
