Indian court seeks govt response on comedian's challenge to IT rule changes

FILE PHOTO: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks with the media inside the parliament in New Delhi, India, January 31, 2023. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An Indian court on Tuesday directed the government to respond to an appeal submitted by a comedian challenging recent changes to the country's IT rules, which prevent social media platforms from hosting information that the government terms "fake".

The rules dictate that social media platforms "make reasonable efforts" to not "publish, share or host" any information relating to the government that is identified as "fake, false or misleading" by a government appointed fact-checking unit.