First step towards social media regulation
The balance of the need to regulate the keeping of objectionable online content that promotes violence and pornography, as well as the need to preserve our fundamental constitutional values and freedom of expression, is at the core of the new rules, which concerns new media It has been prepared by the Central Government to do away with.
Similarly, the cinema industry has a film certification agency for monitoring responsibilities, but none for OTT platforms. To ensure artistic freedom, the government has proposed self-regulation and stated that OTT entities must be together, develop a code and categorize content to prevent non-adults from viewing adult content A mechanism can be developed. They must take steps to do so. A three-tier grievance redressal mechanism is envisaged, with the first two being publishers and self-regulating institutions. The third category is the monitoring committee of the central government. The proposed policy seeks to appoint publishers as grievance redressal officers and ensure timely response and redressal of grievances. In such a situation, there may be a self-regulating body headed by a retired judge.
There is a concern in the online platform about the rules that talk about access control, verification of accounts, etc. But these issues need to be resolved within the purview of the laws of India. For example, while the mainstream media is conscious of provisions in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to deal with hostility, defamation, etc. among communities promoting violence, the content on online platforms seems to be completely oblivious to this.
Obscene comments posted on social media about women professionals in the media or other fields and the inability to deal with such behavior makes one wonder whether IPC does not apply in cyberspace.
Indian digital and OTT players can learn from the concrete action taken by digital companies in Australia, who together have prepared a manual to deal with fake news and propaganda. It is called the Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation and was recently released by the Digital Industry Group.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has welcomed the initiative, saying that more than two-thirds of Australians were concerned about 'what is right on the Internet and what is fake'. In response, ACMA states that digital platforms agree to a self-regulatory code, which takes safeguards against serious harm resulting from misinformation and the spread of false news. Promises to take action by digital platforms include closing accounts and deleting content.
The government in the UK is going to bring a law to make online companies responsible for harmful content and to punish companies that fail to remove such content. The proposed 'Online Security Bill' aims to protect Internet users and deal strongly with platforms that promote violence, terrorist content, child abuse, cyber bullying and more. Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden has said, "Of course I am pro-tech but that does not mean that it is free for all." In a way, it shows the current mood in democratic countries on this issue.
In the UK self-regulation governs print media and private television and radio is regulated by the Independent Television Commission and the Radio Authority as provided by a statute. The two ministers who announced the government's guidelines are Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar and it should not be forgotten that these two are the heroes of the 'Second Freedom Struggle' when they went against the Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the mid-1970s. Fought and remained imprisoned for about one and a half years so that people could get their constitution and democracy back.
It is clear that he has a commitment to basic democratic values and will also be visible in policies regarding media regulation. Finally, the framework within which companies should operate in India. As Union Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that they should work under the rules of the country and no compromise can be made.
