DoT Orders Social Media Platforms To Remove Caller ID Spoofing Content

DoT Orders Social Media Platforms To Remove Caller ID Spoofing Content

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued an advisory to social media platforms and application hosting services, directing them to immediately remove content and applications that facilitate or promote Calling Line Identification (CLI) or Caller ID spoofing. The directive, issued on February 18, is aimed at curbing the misuse of technology that enables individuals to mask their phone numbers, potentially leading to fraudulent or harmful activities.

According to the advisory, the DoT was alerted to a case where an influencer used a social media platform to demonstrate how to manipulate CLI, allowing callers to display a different number than their actual one. The department classified this act as CLI spoofing, which constitutes tampering with telecommunication identification.

The advisory highlights the legal implications of such activities, citing Section 42 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. It specifically references Section 42(3)(c), which prohibits tampering with telecommunication identifiers, and Section 42(3)(e), which bars the fraudulent acquisition of subscriber identity modules or other telecommunication identification. The DoT stressed that these offences are cognizable and non-bailable under the law.

Furthermore, the advisory warns that platforms hosting such content are also in violation of the Telecommunications Act. Any application that enables users to alter telecom identifiers—such as CLI, IP addresses, or IMEI numbers—is deemed to be abetting illegal activity. The DoT has made it clear that social media and application hosting platforms must remove such content or applications to ensure compliance with the law.

Failure to comply could result in legal action under Section 42 of the Act. Platforms have been instructed to remove the offending content and submit compliance reports to the DoT at dirdiu-dot@gov.in by February 28, 2025.