What is the SAHYOG Portal?
- The SAHYOG portal is a government platform designed to help tackle cybercrime more effectively.
- It aims to bring central and state government agencies and online platforms (intermediaries) onto one platform to make the process of sending and acting on blocking orders smoother and more organized.
Mission of SAHYOG Portal
- To build a strong system for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrime in India.
Who runs it?
- The portal has been developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
How does the SAHYOG Portal work?
- It automates the process of sending legal notices to online platforms (like social media apps and websites).
- These notices are issued by the Appropriate Government or its agencies under the IT Act, 2000.
- Once a notice is sent, platforms are expected to remove or block access to content that’s considered illegal or harmful.
What does it block?
- The portal helps block any information, data, or communication links that are being used to:
- Spread misinformation
- Break laws
- Endanger public safety
- Commit other unlawful activities
Why is it important?
- The SAHYOG portal aims to streamline the coordination between the government and online platforms.
- It makes sure that cybercrime-related content can be dealt with quickly and efficiently, without delays caused by manual communication.
Current Use
- Both Central and State governments are already issuing blocking orders through the SAHYOG portal.
- However, platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are resisting being part of this portal, arguing that it could bypass existing legal safeguards and turn into a censorship tool.
The SAHYOG portal is India’s centralized platform for blocking unlawful online content, designed to bring government agencies and online platforms together to fight cybercrime — but its use is raising debates about transparency, legal boundaries, and freedom of expression.
