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Indian Army Eases Social Media Ban, Allows View‑Only Access to Instagram and X

Leaders say controlled, passive use helps troops stay informed without exposing sensitive information.

Overview

  • An order from Army Headquarters via the DGMI took immediate effect, setting force‑wide rules on social and messaging apps.
  • Instagram, X, YouTube and Quora are limited to passive viewing only, with no posting, commenting, liking, sharing or messaging permitted.
  • WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and Skype may be used solely to exchange unclassified, general information with known contacts, and users must verify recipients.
  • LinkedIn use is confined to professional purposes such as resumes and employment information, with no broader engagement allowed.
  • The policy reiterates bans on VPNs, torrent sites, cracked software and anonymous proxies, warns of disciplinary action for violations, and encourages personnel to flag misleading content to superiors under a "Respond, Don't React" approach.