IBF feels the move will allow over-the-top (OTT) players to meet conditions set by the government in a new regulation, which include creating an independent self-regulatory body headed by a retired high court or Supreme Court judge.
The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) Thursday urged the government to exempt and exclude the traditional television news media and its extended presence on the digital news platforms from the ambit of the IT Rules 2021, saying it is already sufficiently regulated by various statutes, laws, guidelines, codes and regulations. The Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act, 2000) had not contemplated the regulation of digital news media. Despite this, the IT Rules, 2021 seek to inter alia include traditional news media, i.e. electronic television news media having a digital news feed and presence on other digital media platforms, within its purview. This appears to be ultra vires the IT Act, 2000, the NBA said, raising its concerns in a letter to Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar.
WhatsApp has launched legal action to stop India enforcing new social media rules that would break its privacy guarantees, the messaging platform said. AFP
New rules governing social media companies in India will make it hard for the firms to operate and give authorities the power to censor Internet users, campaigners warned after WhatsApp filed a suit against the Indian government.
WhatsApp, a unit of Facebook, filed a legal complaint in Delhi against the Indian government, seeking to block regulations taking effect on Wednesday that experts say would compel the firm to break privacy protections.
The lawsuit asks the Delhi High Court to declare one of the rules a violation of privacy rights in India’s constitution since it requires social media firms to identify the “first originator of information” when authorities demand it.
Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has clarified that the new IT rules are only to stop social media misuse after WhatsApp challenged the Centre in Delhi HC.
NEW DELHI : Cyber security firm Netrika on Wednesday came down heavily against WhatsApp for challenging the government of India's new IT regulations in