Expunge amendments to IT Rules, set up Media Council: Press Association
The Press Association (PA) on Friday asked the government to ”expunge” the amendment to the Information Technology Rules that requires social media platforms to take down news deemed fake by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
The PA, a representative body of government accreditated media persons, also suggested setting up a quasi judicial body on the lines of the Press Council of India (PCI), to bring electronic and digital media and empower it to decide on complaints of fake news.
”The Press Council is already deciding on many complaints on fake news… Bestowing this power to determine and take action on fake news by a purely government body like the Press Information Bureau will dilute and diminish the power, independence of the Council which has been functioning smoothly since 1966,” the PA said in a statement.
The PA said in case the government wants to bring electronic and digital media under the ambit of the Council, it may recommend setting up of a Media Council and the proposal is already with the PCI.
The PA also urged the Union government to expunge this new amendment, and to initiate wider consultations with press bodies, media organisations, and other stakeholders, on the regulatory framework for digital media.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Electronics, Information Technology proposed amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 asking social media companies to take down news articles that have been deemed ”fake” by the PIB or any other agency authorised by the central government for fact-checking.
The Editors Guild of India and DigiPub have already made demands to expunge the amendment to the IT Rules.
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