Leading news organisations of the country, Bennett and Coleman & Co Ltd (BCCL) and Kasturi & Sons Ltd have decided to impose restrictions of Social media usage on the staff of their payroll. More often the media groups are made responsible for the actions of their staff on social media. Media houses are planning to implement the guidelines of the organization in their own media on to the personal accounts of their staff so that they do not violate the core principles. This will also be applicable to reshares and retweets of others’ content too.
However there are arguments that such rules in place will only amount to restriction of freedom of speech which is a fundamental right. Few also argue that such restriction will bring down the engagement index of the journalists and the followers may leave which inturn will be a loss for the organisation. Several Indian News agencies and media groups are expected to have detailed social media policies in place very soon.
