**Executive Summary**
This report outlines the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's regulatory framework for online matrimonial and dating platforms to address identity fraud, harassment, and data misuse. It details the application of the Information Technology Act 2000 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, emphasizing the legal responsibilities of platforms as intermediaries. Key actions include compliance with content removal timelines and the processing of personal data through informed consent.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Legal Framework under the IT Act 2000 and IT Rules 2021**
* **Penal Provisions:** The IT Act provides specific punishments for identity theft (Section 66C), cheating by personation (Section 66D), privacy violations (Section 66E), and the transmission of obscene or sexually explicit material (Sections 67 and 67A).
* **Intermediary Due Diligence:** Platforms must ensure users do not post content that is obscene, harassing, or violates gender-based insults.
* **Content Removal Timelines:** Intermediaries are required to remove unlawful content within 3 hours of notification, or within 2 hours specifically for non-consensual sexual or intimate content.
* **Confidentiality:** Section 72 mandates penalties for breaches of confidentiality and privacy by platform personnel.
**Data Protection under the DPDP Act 2023**
* **Lawful Processing:** Personal data must be processed based on free, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent.
* **Notice Requirements:** Platforms must provide a notice describing the data to be collected and the specific purpose of its processing.
* **Verification Safeguards:** The act is technology-agnostic, allowing platforms to adopt verification and KYC mechanisms appropriate to their risk environment while maintaining statutory accountability.
* **Grievance Redressal:** Data Fiduciaries are required to establish mechanisms for individuals to resolve grievances regarding data processing.
**Governance and Reporting**
* **State Responsibility:** Prevention, registration, and investigation of crimes (FIRs) remain the primary responsibility of State Governments and Union Territory Administrations.
* **Reporting Infrastructure:** The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) serves as the centralized platform for reporting cybercrimes, including those against women and children.
* **Regulatory Advisory:** A specific advisory dated 06.06.2016 remains in effect to guide matrimonial websites on functioning in accordance with the IT Act.
**Impact Analysis**
**Online Matrimonial and Dating Platforms**
**Impact**
Platforms are classified as intermediaries and Data Fiduciaries, making them legally accountable for content moderation and the secure processing of personal data. They face strict liability for failing to remove prohibited content within prescribed hourly windows.
**Action Required**
Implement robust KYC and user verification mechanisms, establish grievance redressal systems, and ensure all data collection is preceded by clear consent notices.
**Users of Online Platforms**
**Impact**
Users are granted statutory rights to privacy and data protection. They have access to legal recourse against identity theft, personation, and the misuse of their personal images or data.
**Action Required**
Users should report incidents of fraud or harassment via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and exercise their rights regarding informed consent for data sharing.
**State Governments and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs)**
**Impact**
LEAs bear the primary responsibility for the prosecution of cybercrimes and the conversion of NCRP reports into formal FIRs.
**Action Required**
Detect, investigate, and prosecute cases of digital fraud and harassment using the penal provisions of the IT Act and data provided by the National Crime Records Bureau.
Key Entities Referenced
Information Technology Act, 2000: The primary legislation providing penal provisions for cybercrimes, identity theft, and cheating by personation on digital platforms.
Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: A comprehensive framework governing the processing of personal data, mandating user consent and establishing rights for data protection.
Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021: Rules requiring online intermediaries to perform due diligence and remove unlawful content within specific timelines.
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): A government initiative that includes the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) for reporting and coordinating action against cyber incidents.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology: The central ministry responsible for formulating policies and advisories to ensure a safe and accountable cyberspace.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4154
TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026
REGULATION OF ONLINE MATRIMONIAL AND DATING PLATFORMS
4154. SHRI APPALANAIDU KALISETTI:
Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of complaints relating to identity fraud,
impersonation, financial scams, harassment and misuse of personal data on online matrimonial and
dating platforms;
(b) if so, the total number of such complaints received during the last five years, classified crime-
type-wise, State and year-wise including segregation into domestic and cross-border cases;
(c) the number of FIRs registered, charge sheets filed, arrests made and convictions secured in such
cases, classified, State-wise;
(d) whether such platforms are mandated under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the
Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to undertake mandatory user verification/KYC and if
not, the reasons therefor; and
(e) whether the Government proposes any additional measures, policy frameworks or guidelines to
further regulate online matrimonial and dating platforms, enhance user verification and prevent
misuse or fraud and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) to (e): The policies of Government of India are aimed at ensuring open, safe, trusted and
accountable cyberspace for users in the country. It is cognizant of the risks and harms arising from
the misuse of digital technologies including online matrimonial and dating platforms.
IT Act 2000:
The Information Technology Act, 2000 (“IT Act”) and the Information Technology (Intermediary
Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules”), together, provide a
framework to deal with unlawful content in the digital space.
The IT Act provides penal provisions against various cybercrimes that may arise from abuse, fraud,
and misuse on online platforms, including online matrimonial and dating platforms. The relevant
provisions under IT Act are as follows: -
• Section 66C: Punishment for identity theft (e.g., creating fake profiles using personal data).
• Section 66D: Punishment for cheating by personation using computer resources.• Section 66E: Punishment for violation of privacy through capturing, publishing or transmitting
private images
• Section 67: Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene content in electronic form
• Section 67A: Punishment for publishing or transmitting sexually explicit material
• Section 72: Penalty for breach of confidentiality and privacy by intermediaries or associated
personnel
Online matrimonial and dating platforms are intermediaries and must follow due diligence
requirements under the IT Rules. They are required to make reasonable efforts to ensure that users
do not post or share content that is obscene, violates privacy, harasses or insults on the basis of
gender, or violates any law.
Intermediaries must remove unlawful content within 3 hours (2 hours for non-consensual
sexual/intimate content) of being notified by the government or court order.
DPDP Act 2023:
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (“DPDP Act”), together with the Digital Personal
Data Protection Rules, 2025 (“DPDP Rules”), establishes a comprehensive framework governing
the processing of digital personal data in a manner that recognises both the right of individuals to
protect their personal data and the need to process such personal data for lawful purposes.
The DPDP Act requires personal data to be processed for lawful purposes on the basis of free,
specific, informed, unconditional and unambiguous consent, preceded or accompanied by a notice
describing the personal data to be collected and the purpose of its processing.
The DPDP Act also provides individuals with certain rights in relation to their personal data and
requires Data Fiduciaries to establish grievance redressal mechanisms in matters concerning the
processing of such data.
The framework established under the DPDP Act is technology-agnostic and principle-based,
enabling organisations operating digital platforms to adopt safeguards and verification mechanisms
appropriate to their services and risk environment while complying with statutory obligations
relating to data protection, transparency, and accountability.
Advisory:
The Ministry has also issued an advisory dated 06.06.2016 to all matrimonial websites and
matrimonial mobile applications on functioning of matrimonial websites in accordance with the IT
Act and the rules framed thereunder.
Coordination with state governments:
‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
Therefore, the primary responsibility for prevention, detection, registration, investigation and
prosecution of cases is of the state government.Therefore the matters regarding complaints relating to identity fraud, impersonation, financial
scams, harassment, and misuse of personal data on online matrimonial and dating platforms,
concern the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations.
The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (“NCRP”) (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been
launched, as a part of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre(“I4C”), to enable public to
report incidents pertaining to all types of cyber crimes, with special focus on cyber crimes against
women and children.
Cyber crime incidents reported on this portal, their conversion into FIRs and subsequent action
thereon are handled by the State/UT Law Enforcement Agencies concerned as per the provisions
of the law.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the statistical data on crimes
in its publication “Crime in India”. The latest published data pertains to year 2023. Details can be
accessed in their website https://www.ncrb.gov.in/
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