Apar GuptaAn authoritarian government with a supermajority returns as a humbled coalition. The elections see a sustained call to accountability by content creators for its previous ten years in power. What does it do? I write in The Hindu about how the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting proposes a license raj for content creators through the Broadcasting Bill, 2024.
Archives for the month July 2024
ET : Final Draft of the DPDP, Rules to be ready in two weeks
As reported by the Economic Times, the government has finalized the draft rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act 2023 and plans to release them for public consultation in the second or third week of August 2024.
Nigeria FCCPC fines Meta $220 million for violating data laws
Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta Platforms $220 million for violating local data protection and privacy laws. The investigation, spanning 38 months and conducted alongside the Data Protection Commission, found that Meta collected and shared Nigerian users’ data without consent and imposed exploitative privacy policies.
HT : New draft of broadcasting bill
As per a report in HT a new draft of India’s Broadcasting Bill titled as the Broadcasting Bill, 2024 has proposed classifying news influencers and online content creators as broadcasters, potentially subjecting them to stricter regulatory oversight. The BSR, 2024 includes provisions for a statutory regulator and enhanced content standards, emphasizing the need for transparency and responsibility in broadcasting, regardless of the medium.
Address by Hon’ble Ms. Justice Hima Kohli on the Digital Competition Bill, 2024
On speech July 16, 2024 Hon’ble Ms. Justice Hima Kohli gave an address on India’s Draft Digital Competition Bill, 2024. It outlines the bill’s key provisions, comparing it to similar legislation in the EU and UK. The speech highlights the bill’s ex-ante regulatory approach for digital markets, focusing on Systemically Significant Digital Enterprises. It presents arguments for and against the legislation, discussing potential impacts on innovation, competition, and consumer choice. The speech concludes by emphasizing the ongoing consultation process and the need to balance promoting competition with fostering innovation.
Sublime Software Ltd v. Union Of India
The petitioner sought a court order to publish and revoke the order blocking its messaging app, Briar, under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000. Briar, a FOSS app crucial for communication during emergencies, was blocked in Jammu and Kashmir due to national security concerns. The court upheld the block, emphasizing that national security outweighs natural justice principles, and confidentiality is required. The petitioner’s claims of procedural lapses were dismissed, and the writ petition was denied.