Platform Compliance Scorecard
When a lawful removal demand is served in India, platforms do not behave alike. This scorecard records, platform by platform, the statutory hook that applies, the response window we typically observe, and when escalation beyond the notice is required — compiled from RepuLex's own engagements.
The finding across every platform recorded here is the same: user-level reporting is slow and discretionary, while a notice served on the platform's designated grievance channel starts an enforceable clock — seven days under IT Rules 2021, 36 hours for privacy complaints and impersonation of a business, and two hours for non-consensual intimate imagery and impersonation of a person under Rule 3(2)(b). Where that window passes without compliance, the escalation is de-indexing at the search layer and, where justified, a court application through the partner law firm.
As of , the shortest standard-case removal windows RepuLex observes are on Instagram Content, LinkedIn Posts and YouTube Videos (7–14 days); the longest are MouthShut Reviews and TripAdvisor Reviews (14–30 days). Windows are observed from RepuLex engagements, not platform commitments.
Standard-case windows only; urgent and contested lanes are shown separately. Grade: A = 14 days or fewer · B = 21 or fewer · C = 30 or fewer · D = over 30 days, or routinely requires a court order.
| Platform | Standard window (days) | Grade | Urgent lane | Statutory hook & route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram Content | 7–14 | A | 72h | Instagram (Meta India) is subject to IT Rules 2021 mandatory takedowns. Morphed images additionally attract Section 67 IT Act. RepuLex files emergency notices for morphed content involving professionals. |
| LinkedIn Posts | 7–14 | A | — | LinkedIn India is subject to IT Rules 2021. Professional defamation on LinkedIn carries additional weight as it directly impacts business relationships and career prospects. RepuLex files IT Rules grievance complaints with LinkedIn and, through the partner law firm, a legal notice for defamation to the originator at the same time.Escalation: 14–30 days for contested professional content. |
| YouTube Videos | 7–14 | A | — | YouTube (Google LLC) is subject to Section 79 of the IT Act and the IT Rules 2021: a grievance is acknowledged within 24 hours and resolved within seven days, a court order acted on within three hours, and intimate or impersonation content removed within two hours under Rule 3(2)(b). RepuLex files legal removal requests and privacy complaints through YouTube's own forms; notices under advocate signature and court applications go through the partner law firm. DMCA takedowns are used where copyright applies.Escalation: Contested content that needs a court order runs on the court's timetable. |
| Facebook Posts & Pages | 7–21 | B | 72h | Meta India is subject to IT Act 2000 and IT Rules 2021. RepuLex issues formal Section 79 notices to Meta's grievance officer in India. For urgent viral content, emergency notices are filed within 4 hours of case acceptance. |
| Google Reviews | 7–21 | B | — | IT Act Section 79 notices to Google India. Google must act on a court order within three hours under the IT Rules 2021; without one, it assesses defamation requests under its own legal removal process. RepuLex escalates to Google's legal team — not standard user reporting.Escalation: Contested content that needs a court order runs on the court's timetable. |
| IndiaMART Reviews | 7–21 | B | — | IndiaMART is an Indian platform subject to full IT Act 2000 jurisdiction. RepuLex issues formal IT Act notices and, for clearly defamatory content, criminal defamation under BNS 2023 s.356 (formerly IPC 499/500) is pursued through the partner law firm against the review originator, with IndiaMART put on notice. |
| Quora Posts & Answers | 7–21 | B | — | Quora has India operations and is subject to IT Rules 2021. Quora questions/answers ranking on Google for brand searches can cause significant reputational damage. RepuLex issues IT Act notices and simultaneously pursues Google de-indexing of the Quora pages.Escalation: Google de-indexing confirmed within 7 days of content removal. |
| Twitter / X Posts | 7–21 | B | — | X (formerly Twitter) is an intermediary under the IT Rules 2021: a grievance must be resolved within seven days, a court order acted on within three hours, and intimate images, morphed images and impersonation accounts removed within two hours of a complaint under Rule 3(2)(b). RepuLex files through the Report to Grievance Officer form on X's India help page; where a court order is needed, the partner law firm obtains the injunction and it is served on X.Escalation: A court injunction can compel X to remove the posts or block the account. |
| MouthShut Reviews | 14–30 | C | — | MouthShut is a Mumbai-based intermediary subject to IT Act 2000 and IT Rules 2021. RepuLex issues IT Act Section 79 notices and, where content is clearly defamatory, the partner law firm sends a legal notice for defamation to the reviewer where the reviewer can be identified, with MouthShut put on notice.Escalation: Where court proceedings are needed, the timeline runs on the court's timetable. |
| TripAdvisor Reviews | 14–30 | C | — | TripAdvisor operates in India and is subject to IT Rules 2021 for clearly defamatory content. RepuLex issues formal IT Act notices to TripAdvisor's India operations and, for systematic campaigns, criminal defamation against the originators can be pursued through the partner law firm.Escalation: A court injunction is available for severe cases. |
Windows are observed ranges from RepuLex engagements, not platform commitments; the statutory deadlines under IT Rules 2021 (seven days, 36 hours for privacy complaints and impersonation of a business, two hours for non-consensual intimate imagery and impersonation of a person under Rule 3(2)(b)) are what a compliant platform must meet once a valid complaint is served. The urgent-lane column records only platforms that operate a distinct emergency channel, and never feeds the ordering. Each platform name links to the full removal guide for that platform.
How to read this
The pattern across platforms is consistent: user-level reporting is slow and discretionary, while a statutory notice served on the platform's designated grievance channel starts an enforceable clock. Where the window passes without compliance, the escalation is de-indexing at the search layer and, where justified, a court application through the partner law firm. In RepuLex's published case sample, most matters resolved before that stage (see the India Content Removal Index).
The grade bands observed practice, not the statute. Measured against the statutory deadlines themselves, almost every platform would fail — a grading that separates nothing and tells a reader nothing about which route to expect. Observed response windows recorded across RepuLex engagements: days counted from service of a lawful removal demand on the platform’s designated grievance channel to confirmed removal, standard-complexity matters only.
For the case-level evidence behind these windows — documented matters with platform, route and days-to-removal — see the India Content Removal Index. For a firm-level comparison of the Indian ORM market, see the India ORM Capability Matrix.
Citation: “Platform Compliance Scorecard, RepuLex, August 2026 — repulex.com/resources/platform-compliance-scorecard”. Reuse permitted with attribution. Download this dataset as JSON.