Srinagar, October 29: Jammu and Kashmir’s proposed media policy is expected to be finalised soon, with the draft currently under examination and provisions envisaged to cover social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, Director Information Mamta Yadav said on Thursday.
Speaking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Yadav said the department was responding to queries raised during the examination of the draft and hoped the policy would be finalised at the earliest.
“We have sent a draft and are continuously responding to the queries that are coming in,” she said, adding that the proposed policy would address aspects not covered under the existing framework, particularly the growing role of social media in communication and public relations campaigns.
The proposed policy comes amid concerns raised in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly during its autumn session over unregulated social media news platforms, online trolling and the circulation of misleading content.
On September 30, Education and Health Minister Sakina Itoo told the Assembly that the government was working on a new media policy and had given the Information Department four months to formulate the guidelines.
The issue was raised by National Conference MLA Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri, who sought measures to address the alleged misuse of social media and online attacks on public representatives. Several legislators called for a regulatory framework, while others cautioned against restrictions that could undermine press freedom.
Itoo said politicians could not hold the media solely responsible for the misuse of social media, acknowledging that political actors also contributed to the problem. She also stressed the need for greater accountability for content circulated through online platforms.