Rajiv Chandrashekhar insists that the government intends to conduct detailed consultations on key legislations
Rajiv Chandrashekhar insists that the government intends to conduct detailed consultations on key legislations
Minister of State for IT Rajiv Chandrashekhar has said that a significant amount of work has been done on the proposed Digital India Act, and the draft legislative framework to support ‘India’s Taked’ is expected by early 2023.
The comments assume significance as India moves rapidly towards a robust framework to catalyze its digital ambitions and govern the online ecosystem with openness, user safety and trust as guiding principles.
At the same time, the government has insisted that there will be extensive consultation in framing key laws that will be essential building blocks for a ‘New India’ and its digital architecture.
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When asked about the status of Digital India Act, Which will replace the IT ActMr Chandrashekhar said: “A significant amount of work has been done on this, and we expect that by early 2023, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, a legislative framework for India’s technology will be put before the country.”
The minister stressed that the government wants to have detailed consultations on key legislations.
“… for a ‘New India’ all these laws have to be modernized, extensive consultation with consumers, industry, startups, lawyers, judges, citizens… of these legislations, and that is exactly what we will do,” Mr Chandrashekhar said PTI in an interview.
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Mr Chandrashekhar clarified: “We are not working on artificial deadlines.”
The upcoming law, the Digital India Act, will replace the IT Act 2000, which is more than two decades old, Mr Chandrashekhar said, but did not comment on specific provisions.
Shri Chandrashekhar further said that laws, rules and jurisprudence will continue to evolve around the Internet. It is pertinent to mention that the government has recently changed the IT rules under which it will set up appellate panels to address complaints that users have against the decisions of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook on hosting controversial content. May be.
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Notably, new amendments to the IT regulations now impose a legal obligation on social media companies to make all efforts to prevent restricted content and misinformation, and allow platforms such as Twitter and Facebook operating in India to comply with local laws and constitutional rights. will have to be followed. Indian users.
The tough stance against big tech companies comes at a time when there is growing discontent over alleged arbitrary acts of social media platforms to flag content.
Noting that 800 million Indians are online, the Center had said that it would bring in a modern framework of laws and regulations that would act as a catalyst for innovation and protect the rights of ‘digital citizens’.
While the government withdrew the draft Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill in August, its replacement – a new law offering a broad framework of global standard laws, including digital privacy laws, for contemporary and future challenges – is currently in the works. doing.