General Studies 2024 GS Paper III 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Suggest

Q20

Social media and encrypting messaging services pose a serious security challenge. What measures have been adopted at various levels to address the security implications of social media? Also suggest any other remedies to address the problem. (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

सोशल मीडिया एवं 'को गोपित' (एनक्रिप्टेड) संदेश सेवाएँ गंभीर सुरक्षा चुनौती हैं। सोशल मीडिया के सुरक्षा निहितार्थों को संबोधित करते हुए विभिन्न स्तरों पर क्या उपाय अपनाए गए हैं? इस समस्या को संबोधित करते हुए अन्य किन्हीं उपायों का भी सुझाव दीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Directive word: Suggest

This question asks you to suggest. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'suggest' requires candidates to first enumerate existing measures at global, national and platform levels, then propose additional remedies with reasoned justification. Structure as: brief introduction on security threats → two-part body covering adopted measures and suggested remedies → forward-looking conclusion balancing security and rights.

Key points expected

  • Global measures: UN GGE norms, Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, platform accountability frameworks
  • National measures: IT Act 2000 (Section 69A blocking), IT Rules 2021 (traceability and grievance redressal), proposed Digital India Act
  • Platform-level measures: end-to-end encryption debates, content moderation policies, transparency reports
  • Suggested remedies: specialised social media regulator, algorithmic accountability, digital literacy programmes, international cooperation mechanisms
  • Balancing dimension: privacy vs security concerns, proportionality principle in regulation

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Demand-directive understanding20%3Clearly distinguishes between 'measures adopted' (factual enumeration) and 'suggested remedies' (prescriptive proposals); maintains analytical separation while showing interconnection between both partsAddresses both parts but blends them confusingly or gives disproportionate space to one section; misses the prescriptive element of 'suggest'Treats question as purely descriptive or opinion-based; fails to identify the dual demand structure or ignores either adopted measures or suggested remedies
Content depth & accuracy20%3Covers legislative (IT Act, proposed Digital India Act), institutional (MeitY, CERT-In), judicial (Puttaswamy verdict on privacy), and technical measures with accurate provisions and recent updatesMentions IT Act and basic platform measures but lacks specificity on rules, misses recent developments like 2021 amendments or proposed legislationGeneric references to 'cyber laws' without naming specific acts; factual errors on encryption debates or jurisdiction of agencies
Structure & flow20%3Clear two-part body with explicit subheadings; logical progression from global→national→platform levels in first part, then innovative→institutional→technical remedies in second; smooth transitionsBasic paragraph structure present but parts not clearly demarcated; some logical jumps between levels or between adopted and suggested measuresDisorganised narrative mixing all elements randomly; no visible structure or paragraph coherence within word limit
Examples / case-law / data20%3Cites WhatsApp-traceability dispute (2021), Pegasus revelations, K.S. Puttaswamy (2017) on encryption, EU Digital Services Act as comparator, or specific platform transparency dataGeneral reference to 'recent cases' or 'Supreme Court judgments' without specifics; mentions WhatsApp or Facebook without contextualising the regulatory conflictNo Indian or international examples; purely theoretical treatment without grounding in actual policy debates or judicial pronouncements
Conclusion & analytical edge20%3Synthesises with nuanced position on encryption dilemma (security vs privacy), proposes multi-stakeholder governance model, or reflects on challenges of regulating borderless platforms in sovereign frameworksStandard balanced conclusion without original insight; generic call for 'balanced approach' without specifying tensions or trade-offsAbsence of conclusion or purely summarising ending; no analytical engagement with the core tension between encryption benefits and security risks

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