Income Tax New Rules: These days, a news on social media has given sleepless nights to common taxpayers. A post is becoming increasingly viral on the internet, in which it is being claimed that under the new Income Tax Act, the government is now preparing to take a digital peek into your phone. It is being said that from April 1, 2026, the Income Tax Department will have direct authority to check your bank accounts, emails and even social media accounts. If you too are worried about your privacy considering this news as true, then wait. The government has made its position completely clear on this and the truth is something else.
What confusion is being spread on social media?
Citing a post on the internet linked to the handle named ‘Indian Tech Guide’ (@IndianTechGuide), it is being claimed that in the new Income Tax Act, 2025, the department is being given unlimited powers in the name of preventing tax evasion. According to the viral message, the department can also scan your personal messages, social media activities and emails for routine investigation. Obviously, it is natural for a common citizen to be nervous about such claims, because it directly questions the right to privacy. But let us tell you that this information is incomplete and completely misleading.
A post by @IndianTechGuide claims that from April 1, 2026, the Income Tax Department will have the ‘authority’ to access your social media, emails, and other digital platforms to curb tax evasion.#PIBFactCheck
❌The claim being made in this post is #misleadingHere’s the real pic.twitter.com/hIyPPcvALF
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) December 22, 2025
Government told the truth: This claim is fake
Considering the seriousness of this viral claim, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has fact checked it. PIB has clearly said that this claim being made on social media is wrong. The government clarified that the Income Tax Department has not been given any such ‘blanket right’ or arbitrary power, by which they can peep into anyone’s digital space whenever they want. This is just a rumor which is being spread without any context.
real meaning of section 247
Now the question arises that if this is a lie, then what does the law actually say? PIB said that this confusion has been created regarding Section 247 of the Income Tax Act 2025. The reality is that the provisions of this section are very strict and can be used only in specific circumstances.
The department can access your digital data (like email or social media) only when a ‘Search and Survey’ operation is going on against a person. That is, unless there is strong evidence of huge tax evasion against a taxpayer and the department is not officially conducting raids, no one has the right to interfere in your personal life.
Also read- How different will the new income tax law be from the old tax law?