Several journalist associations and digital rights organisations have endorsed a resolution to intensify their demand for the withdrawal of laws that they said were “aimed at curbing the freedom of press”.
As stated in the resolution, passed at a meeting held on May 28, 2024, the provisions under laws such as the proposed Broadcast Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, and the Information Technology Amendment Rules, grant authority to the government to remove any online content pertaining to its business that it deems to be false or misleading.
The Broadcast Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, expands regulatory oversight to include OTT platforms and digital content. It proposes mandatory registration, content evaluation committees for self-regulation, and a three-tier regulatory system, said a Press Club of India release on Friday.
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“The meeting notes that there are apprehensions of control and regulation and they may place unreasonable restrictions on the citizens’ right to know. The government must ensure that the right to know of the people is not trampled upon. The practice of repeated Internet shutdowns impedes both the citizens’ right to information and journalists’ ability to report news...,” said the resolution.
It said the Digital Personal Data Protection Act sought to protect data from unauthorised access. Although breaches and misuse had become a critical concern in the modern digital age, the resolution said, amendment to Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act to align it with Section 44 (3) of the Data Protection Act curtailed the crucial section of RTI that helped journalists in getting information on the functioning of governments and public servants in public interest.
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Through the resolution, the signatories have demanded that such provisions be deleted or amended. It has also urged that the Press Council of India be replaced by a Media Council to include the broadcast and digital media. It should comprise working journalists, representatives of unions, owners, and the government, and be empowered to pass strictures on media houses, publications, broadcast and digitally published content, and owners, said the resolution.
The meeting also raised concern over the move to repeal the Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions Of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955, and the Working Journalists (Fixation of Rates of Wages) Act, 1958. “...we demand that the two Working Journalists Acts be restored and amended to include broadcast journalists and digital media,” it said.
“...the government should clearly articulate what they perceive as harms/risks, benefits to people in India on the Internet. The government has so far not provided clear articulation of definitions of an open, safe, trusted, and accountable Internet. The government should state/clarify/document where the current legislative framework falls short, especially since we are in the midst of reforming the criminal justice system laws with legislations that were passed after 146 Opposition MPs were suspended,” said the resolution.
“This meeting resolves to urge the government to ensure that all stakeholders are taken on board through an institutional processes that will ensure wide consultation when it intends to prepare the working draft of the proposed Digital India Bill,” it added.
The organisations which have supported the resolution are the Press Club of India, Press Club of Mumbai, Press Club Kolkata, Press Club of Chandigarh, Internet Freedom Foundation, Trivandrum Press Club, Cogito Media Foundation, Delhi Union of Journalists, Working News Cameramen’s Association, DIGIPUB News India Foundation, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Association, Indian Journalists Union, and Jan Prasar.
