Internet intermediaries have been truly instrumental in facilitating the ‘Internet Revolution’ which has added a sparkling dimension to human civilization. They have contributed immensely to bringing about the ‘Digital Age’ that we are living in today. But like all the other good things around us, there is a flip side to this story as well. The internet provided an inexpensive, convenient and enabling environment for the ushering of the freedom of speech and expression for the users. However, the rapid proliferation of social media and the unregulated use of the new media gave rise to instances of fake news circulation, violation of privacy and other fundamental rights, hate speeches, polarisation and law and order problems among other challenges.The Union Government has come up with The Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 reportedly to overcome the threats posed by the inadequately regulated new media. The government has backed the guidelines saying it would bring much needed accountability and transparency in the digital world, while at the same time, the guidelines have been equally condemned and criticised by rights activists and media organizations underlining that it is an attempt to weaken the freedom of speech vital for our vibrant democracy. This paper attempts to examine the legality of the contentious provisions of the ‘Intermediary guidelines’ and evaluate the impact it has on our internet experience

Constitutionality, intermediary guidelines, internet freedom, cyberspace, privacy, digital age, new media, regulations