Indian Army Issues New Guidelines on Social Media Use for Personnel

The Indian Army has issued updated guidelines regulating the use of social media and digital communication platforms by its personnel, aiming to balance digital awareness with operational security, defence officials said.

Under the revised rules, soldiers are permitted to access Instagram strictly for monitoring purposes, such as staying informed on situational updates.

Active engagement, including posting content, commenting, liking, or interacting with other users, is strictly prohibited, officially categorising Instagram as a restricted-use application.

Messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype, and Signal may continue to be used for exchanging unclassified information of a general nature, but only with known contacts. 

The responsibility to correctly identify recipients rests entirely with the personnel to prevent accidental disclosure of sensitive information.

Other platforms, including YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Quora, are limited to passive participation only. Personnel are explicitly barred from uploading content, posting messages, or engaging publicly, reflecting the Army’s focus on safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining operational discipline.

The new guidelines come as part of the Army’s effort to ensure that personnel remain digitally aware while avoiding risks associated with public sharing and misuse of online platforms.

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