Will KYC Be Required to Use Instagram? New Rules May Arrive Soon

KYC for Instagram: A parliamentary committee has recommended to the government that Know Your Customer (KYC) and age verification be made mandatory for social media, dating, and gaming platforms.

KYC for Instagram: If you wish to use Instagram, you may soon require KYC verification to do so. According to media reports, a parliamentary committee has called for stricter regulations regarding identity verification on digital platforms. The committee asserts that social media, dating, and gaming apps should implement KYC-based user authentication. These regulations are being proposed with the aim of ensuring the online safety of women and minor users on social media and dating platforms.

Suggestions Submitted to the Government

It is reported that the parliamentary committee has submitted its recommendations to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of IT. These recommendations state that user verification should be made mandatory for social media, gaming, and dating apps. This measure would help curb harassment stemming from fake profiles, profiles created to impersonate others, and profiles belonging to anonymous individuals. The committee has further suggested that user verification be conducted on a regular basis, and that users reported for abusive behavior be flagged as “high-risk.”

For dating and gaming platforms, the committee has recommended establishing stringent guidelines for licensing and implementing robust age verification mechanisms. The committee believes that these measures would limit users’ access to inappropriate content and help prevent misuse of these platforms.

Suggestions Emerge Amid Rising Cybercrime Incidents

These recommendations from the parliamentary committee come at a time when cybercrime cases are witnessing a rapid surge. Incidents involving trolling, stalking, and—following the advent of AI—the sharing of deepfake videos have seen a manifold increase. In light of this, the parliamentary committee believes that implementing effective content traceability mechanisms could help rein in these incidents. Additionally, the panel has highlighted the need to strengthen and expedite the grievance redressal system so that complaints regarding online harassment can be handled effectively.