What are the rules about market rumours, blogs and chat forums?
In force
SEBI restricts the circulation of unverified market news, and the rules are more intrusive than most expect.
You must have an internal code and controls so that nobody circulates unauthenticated market news.
Access to blogs, chat forums and messenger sites must be restricted under supervision, or blocked.
Logs of any such usage are records and must be preserved.
Market-related news received on official or personal mail, on a blog or otherwise, may be forwarded only after the compliance officer has seen and approved it.
Forwarding without that approval is treated as a violation, and the compliance officer is separately liable for breach of duty. In a one-person practice you are both people.
What SEBI says, word for word
Master Circular, ¶13.2“Access to Blogs/Chat forums/Messenger sites etc. should either be restricted under supervision or access should not be allowed.”Source: SEBI Master Circular No. HO/38/12/11(1)2026-MIRSD-POD/I/4360/2026, dated February 6, 2026, originally CIR/ISD/1/2011 dated March 23, 2011 Open document ↗
Master Circular, ¶13.2(v)“The Compliance Officer shall also be held liable for breach of duty in this regard”Source: SEBI Master Circular No. HO/38/12/11(1)2026-MIRSD-POD/I/4360/2026, dated February 6, 2026, originally CIR/ISD/2/2011 dated March 24, 2011 Open document ↗