With more Indians coming online, the potential of them being exposed to online gaming platform with harmful information has also increased, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha (Lower House), Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the government is aware of the possible risks and challenges associated with online games that have such information.

“With the expansion of the Internet and more and more Indians coming online, the potential for Indians being exposed to online game(s), offered by online gaming platform intermediaries, including online games that have information that is harmful or violates any law, has also increased,” he said, according to a PTI report.

The Minister said that the government has come up with Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 which cast specific obligation on intermediaries, including intermediaries offering online games, to observe diligence.

He said that the rules provide that if intermediaries fail to observe diligence, they shall no longer be exempt from their liability under law for third-party information or data or communication links hosted by them.