UP Government Proposes New media Policy with Rs 8 Lakhs Monthly for Influencers

NEW DELHI : The Yogi Adityanath guided Uttar Pradesh government has introduced a new social media policy aimed at creating content on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, while also encouraging influencers to promote state government programs. The Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy 2024 was created by the state's information department, has been passed by the state cabinet.

Under the new policy, posting 'anti-national' content is regarded as a grave offense, punishable by a jail term varying from 3 years to life imprisonment. Additionally, the government may go after criminal libel charges for indecence or defamatory online content.

Soon after the UP cabinet meeting on Tuesday, minister Sanjay Nishad said, "Today, policy is being made for social media, Instagram... Now they will be regulated and they will also be given advertisements. A lot of policies have been made..."

Moreover, the influencers will get considerable rewards for encouraging state government welfare schemes and achievements. The government has arranged a digital agency named 'V-Form' to handle advertising, including the management of videos, tweets, posts, and reels. Influencers, agencies, and companies will be categorized into four groups based on their subscriber or follower count.

Influencers on X, Facebook, and Instagram will be compensated up to ₹5 lakh, ₹4 lakh, and ₹3 lakh per month, respectively. YouTube influencers will have varied payment caps depending on their content type: up to ₹8 lakh per month for regular videos, and up to ₹7 lakh, ₹6 lakh, and ₹4 lakh for short films, podcasts, and other content types, respectively.