In a major policy change, the Indian Army has relaxed its strict blanket bans on social media usage for its over 11.5 lakh personnel. The new guidelines allow soldiers to access certain platforms for specific purposes, marking a major departure from previous restrictions that had prohibited the use of most social media apps.
Soldiers are now permitted to access Instagram, but solely for "viewing and monitoring purposes." Posting opinions or comments remains prohibited. Likewise, the exchange of unclassified, general information is allowed on platforms like Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. However, such exchanges must be restricted to known contacts, with users being held accountable for correctly identifying the recipients, an officer stated.
The new policy allows soldiers to engage in "passive participation" on platforms like YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Quora, and Instagram, meaning they can view content to gain knowledge or information. However, they are not permitted to upload user-generated content or post messages. Additionally, LinkedIn usage is restricted to uploading resumes and gathering information related to potential employers or employees, without engaging in other activities on the platform.
The military has enforced stringent measures on social media platforms to prevent the leakage of confidential information, at one point even requiring officers and soldiers to remove their Facebook and Instagram profiles.