Press bodies, advocacy groups urge rollback of proposed IT Rules changes

Media and policy groups warn draft amendments could expand censorship powers, threaten free speech, and bring independent creators under tighter government control

Delhi-based not-for-profit legal organisation Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC) India has joined the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), the Press Club of India, and five other journalist bodies in calling for the withdrawal of the proposed amendments to the Information Technology Rules (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code), 2021.

 

These organisations contend that the proposed amendments to the IT Rules, 2021, especially those placing independent news and general affairs content creators under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, are likely to threaten the freedom and creativity of independent creators and expand the government’s censorship abilities.

 

“While purportedly issued to strengthen compliance, the proposed amendments will introduce sweeping changes that would diminish the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, and undermine established legal frameworks,” SFLC India founder Mishi Choudhary said.

   

Last week, the IFF, along with other industry stakeholders and technology policy advocacy bodies, was invited by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to submit its views on the proposed draft amendments to the IT Rules.

 

Following the meeting, the technology policy advocacy body said that it had asked the IT ministry to withdraw the draft “in its entirety”.

 

Apart from SFLC India and IFF, the Press Club of India, along with the Editors Guild of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Network of Women in Media, and Delhi Union of Journalists also held a press conference during which they called for the withdrawal of the proposed Rule 3(4), stopping the 3-hour takedown framework, and halting the “illegal” Sahyog portal.