Access Now 10 March 2021 | 10:30 pm
Ten international non-profit organizations Access Now, ARTICLE 19, the Association for Progressive Communications, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Derechos Digitales, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Human Rights Watch, Mnemonic, Reporters Without Borders, and WITNESS are jointly
calling on government authorities and web firms operating in India to cease a crusade of censorship and surveillance across the nation targeting critics speaking online in response to the ongoing #FarmersProtests.
Tech companies hold immense power, and must defend privacy, and ensure free speech by pushing back on government orders that infringe on rights. They should:
In line with international standards, “engage in prevention and risk mitigation strategies that respect principles of internationally recognized human rights to the greatest extent possible when faced with
Digital news platforms flay new rules
March 03, 2021
×
‘These rules in some places appear to go against the fundamental principle of news and its role in a democracy’
The government’s new rules for digital news platforms which involve a three-tier structure of regulation with a government committee at its apex go against the fundamental principle of news and its role in a democracy, and will have a chilling effect on the freedom of press and speech, whilst also resulting in government control rather than regulation, say digital news platforms and digital liberty organisations.
The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 were released by the government last week.
Access Now 25 February 2021 | 11:08 am
Access Now is extremely concerned by the alarming new powers the Indian government has granted itself, announcing today,
February 25, its increased control over content on social media platforms. It has finalised an amended set of rules for immediate publication and implementation to change how it can regulate internet intermediaries such as social media platforms, and online media sites. The
Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules are delegated legislation issued by the Union Government, purportedly under India’s Information Technology Act.
These new rules supersede earlier, controversial guidelines which were
restricted on fundamental rights grounds by the Indian Supreme Court in a 2015 judgement. The original rules aimed to specify the basic due diligence requirements telecom companies, internet service providers (ISPs), online platforms, and other internet intermediarie