Minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday as soon as once more dismissed issues that the amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, would result in censorship and lashed out at CPI(M) basic secretary Sitaram Yechury for terming it a “draconian and anti-democratic” transfer.
Yechury earlier within the day launched an assault on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the federal government introduced proposed amendments to the IT guidelines.
The authorities on Thursday introduced that it’s going to appoint a fact-checking unit to determine faux, false or deceptive info, however a number of opposition leaders questioned the unit’s governing mechanism, its sweeping powers in figuring out faux news and the proper to attraction in such circumstances.
Also Read | Centre notifies modifications to IT guidelines, 2021
“Modi govt’s Executive amendments to the Rules of the IT Act is a direct attack on free speech.Requiring social media platforms to remove posts deemed ‘fake news’ by the PIB is a dangerous precedent. Censorship has no place in a democracy. Repeal these amendments,” the veteran CPI(M) chief tweeted.
“Sweeping powers to the Press Information Bureau to censor content posted on social media platforms is draconian, anti-democratic and unacceptable. Censorship and Democracy cannot coexist. Immediately scrap these amendments to IT Rules,” Yechury wrote in one other tweet.
Hitting again, Chandrasekhar mentioned Yechury’s tweet was both deliberate misinformation or ignorance masquerading as a tweet.
Rejecting the allegations that it’s a “draconian” transfer, Chandrasekhar tweeted, IT guidelines already hv provisions from Oct 2022, which mandate Social Media intermediaries to not carry sure instances of content material if they’re to have authorized immunity underneath Sec79 of IT act.”
The minister added that social media intermediaries will now have to assist them, “a new credible Fact checking unit for all Govt related content”.
“Social Media intermediaries will hv option to follow or disregard fact checking finding. If they chose to disregard fact checking, only consequence is that concerned dept can pursue legal remedy against Social media intermediary,” Chandrasekhar added.
Chandrasekhar requested Yechury to direct his “draconian” tweets on the Pinarayi Vijayan authorities in Kerala which allegedly raided media channels.
‘Editors Guild of India is deeply disturbed’
The Editors Guild of India is deeply disturbed by the federal government’s transfer to police news on social media by a self-appointed fact-checking unit, the business physique mentioned, describing the brand new guidelines as draconian and akin to censorship.
The amendments to the nation’s IT guidelines make it compulsory on platforms “not to publish, share or host fake, false or misleading information” concerning the authorities.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
