Income Tax Department’s access to emails and social media from April 2026: What you need to know
A message widely circulating on social media claims that from April 1, 2026, the Income Tax Department will be empowered to access citizens’ social media accounts, emails, and other digital platforms to curb tax evasion. The viral claim has generated significant curiosity and concern among taxpayers about whether the tax authorities will actually receive such extensive powers.
In response to the growing confusion, the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check team issued a clarification through a post on X (formerly Twitter) to verify the authenticity of the claim.
What does the viral social media post claim?
According to a post shared by the handle @IndianTechGuide, the Income Tax Department would gain sweeping authority from April 1, 2026, to monitor and access private digital platforms, including emails and social media accounts, as part of efforts to tackle tax evasion.
Can the Income Tax Department access private digital accounts?
The PIB Fact Check team has clarified that the claim is misleading. It stated that the Income Tax Department will not receive any such blanket powers.
As per the clarification, Section 247 of the Income Tax Act, 2025 allows access to digital records only during authorised search and survey operations. Such action can be taken solely when there is credible evidence of significant tax evasion and a formal search operation has been initiated. In the absence of such proceedings, the department has no authority to access a taxpayer’s private digital space.
Can these powers be used for routine assessments?
The PIB further emphasised that these provisions cannot be used for routine tax processing, information gathering, or scrutiny assessments. The powers are strictly intended to combat black money and large-scale tax evasion during search and survey operations and are not applicable to law-abiding taxpayers.
Has the power to seize documents been newly introduced?
The clarification also noted that the authority to seize documents and evidence during search and survey operations has existed since the Income Tax Act, 1961 and is not a new provision under the 2025 Act.
What is black money?
Black money refers to income earned through illegal activities or income on which tax has not been paid. It may arise from legitimate sources that are not disclosed to tax authorities or from inherently illegal activities such as smuggling, illicit trade, counterfeit currency operations, arms trafficking, terrorism financing, and corruption. In essence, black money comprises assets or resources that were neither reported at the time of generation nor disclosed during their possession.
