The government has announced the guidelines governing social media and web streaming companies which aims to fix the accountability. Even as a nationwide discussion on the issue is yet to settle down, some eminent experts have their words on why such guidelines were important?

"A lot of discussions have taken place on this issue within Parliament for bringing some guidelines for Social, Digital, and OTT platforms. The Supreme Court at least twice in past has asked the government about the progress on guidelines. There were also complaints from the common citizens about the misuse of these platforms while portraying women and kids. Also, it was being misused by the anti-social and anti-national elements," says Shekhar Aiyer, a senior journalist.

"Also, the government has made it amply clear that the aim of the guidelines is to not take away the right of the individuals to criticize the government but to make social media companies act more responsibly," adds Aiyar.

"It is a historic step which was felt for a few years now. There were demands from various quarters for such guidelines that these platforms were overstepping. We want a country where there are peace and harmony without negativity for which these guidelines will be very fruitful," says the noted filmmaker Subhash Ghai.

Ghai welcomes the role of the government as a regulator by giving a traffic signal analogy saying "if there are no red lights then the traffic would be more confused."

"The social media players were acting irresponsibly who were not following the laws or constitutional provisions. They were acting on their own whims and fancies suspending or blocking accounts. At least once the account is suspended it should be communicated to the account user," says Aiyar.

"In the recent farm protestors' rampage on January 26, there was a big role of social media in it as it was extensively used to instigate the farmers," he points out.

"I have seen society-changing every 5-10 years but the penetration of social media and OTT platforms have been very invasive.  When it starts to threaten the national security and integrity of the country then the government should step in under such circumstances," adds Ghai.