The Editor’s Guild of India (EGI) expressed concern over the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 notification.
The guild stated that the new media rule has the potential to “undermine media freedom in India”.
“The Editors Guild of India (EGI) is deeply concerned about the notification of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. The rules, issued under the Information Technology Act, 2000, fundamentally alter how publishers of news operate over the Internet and have the potential to seriously undermine media freedom in India,” EGI stated in a written statement.
The Editors Guild of India [EGI] is concerned about the notification of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.
Posted by Editors Guild of India on Friday, 5 March 2021
“They empower the Union government to block, delete or modify published news anywhere in the country without any judicial oversight and mandate all publishers to establish a grievance redressal mechanism. Various provisions in these rules can place unreasonable restrictions on digital news media, and consequently media at large,” the written notification added.
The Editors Guild of India is concerned about the notification of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. pic.twitter.com/7J2fFnZ5De
— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) March 6, 2021
“The EGI is concerned that the Government did not consult stakeholders before notifying the “far-reaching rules”. The Guild urges the Government to put rules in abeyance and conduct meaningful consultation with all stakeholders.”
The government must take note of the fact that in the name of reining an unfettered social media, it cannot overwhelm India’s constitutional safeguards for free media that has been the cornerstone of our democracy,” it said.
The Guild has asked the government to put the rules and conduct meaningful consultation with all stakeholders.