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Amendment To IT Rules 2021: INS Objects Proposal To Empower PIB’s Fact-Check Wing
Writer: Ronit Kumar Singh
A confident and reliable journalist who always desires to toss the unheard voices. I cover politics and governance extensively through stories.
India, 25 Jan 2023 10:53 AM GMT
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A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
Creatives : Ronit Kumar Singh
A confident and reliable journalist who always desires to toss the unheard voices. I cover politics and governance extensively through stories.
The recent draft amendment to IT Rules 2021 directs social media platforms to take down the information and news identified as ‘Fake’ by the fact-check wing of PIB. After the Editors Guild, the INS has also objected to such changes.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MoEIT) issued the draft amendment of IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 earlier this month that seeks to establish a rule in which social media platforms have to take down the information and news identified as 'Fake' by the fact-check wing of Press Information Bureau (PIB).
After the Editors Guild of India and several journalists expressed their disappointment, the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has now also objected to the amendment proposal in the IT Rules 2021. It has urged the ministry to drop the proposed amendment, which empowers the fact-check wing of PIB.
The INS body noted that PIB or any centre-run agency is 'ill-equipped' to play this role. The Society asked the Ministry to collaborate with stakeholders to create a mechanism that meets the highest standards of fairness and due process while ensuring the factual accuracy of reports about the government's business on media sites.
'Press In India Will Be Impacted'
The Society has expressed concerns over the proposed amendment, mentioning that it would critically impact the press's operations in India as the responsibility of checking government statements, initiatives, schemes, and policies will go to the centre's hand.
INS highlighted that if such a proposal is converted into an actual rule, the government will be armed with powers to prevent criticism of its actions. PIB is the news agency that comes under the supervision of the Central Government to disseminate information.
The Society added, "By legislating to become a judge in its cause, the government, through a proposed amendment to a set of rules which have otherwise also caused concern, is taking a step to muzzle criticism effectively and even fair comment," The Hindu reported.
After the proposed amendment came into the public domain, several national groups, including the Press Association, DigiPub Foundation of India, Digital Association, and News broadcasters, showed disagreement and urged the government to take back the amendment to IT Rules 2021.
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