New Delhi: A Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) has been released by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to enhance the processes for removing and preventing Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery (NCII) content shared online. The initiative complies with Rule 3(2)(b) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, as well as the directives of the Madras High Court (Writ Petition – Civil No. 25017/2025, Order dated July 15, 2025).
The SoP offers a thorough and victim-centred framework intended to guarantee prompt and consistent action in situations involving the unconsented online distribution of private or altered images. In addition to outlining the obligations of victims, middlemen and law enforcement, it requires that such offensive material be removed within 24 hours of reporting.
The SoP provides victims with several channels to facilitate reporting. They can complain directly through grievance officers or intermediary platforms, file complaints through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or the 1930 helpline, approach local police stations for prompt action, or go to nearby One Stop Centres (OSCs) for support, legal aid and counselling.
Additionally, the document mandates that intermediaries respond to complaints within 24 hours of receiving them. In order to stop the re-uploading of identical or similar content, significant social media intermediaries (SSMIs) need to implement technologies like crawlers and hash-matching.
Coordination between key agencies, including the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and MeitY, is central to the implementation process. As the primary repository for NCII complaints, the I4C will keep a safe hash bank to stop content recurrence.
The ministry said this initiative marks a major step in protecting the privacy, dignity and safety of individuals, particularly women, and reinforces India’s commitment to a safer digital ecosystem.
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