The Editors Guild of India has written to Electronics and Data Expertise Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging him to “expunge” the amendments to IT Guidelines that search to direct social media platforms to take down information or info recognized as “faux” by the PIB’s Truth Checking Unit. In a letter despatched Vaishnaw on Tuesday, the Guild requested the ministry to provoke consultations with press our bodies, media organisations and different stakeholders on the regulatory framework for digital media, in order to not undermine press freedom.

The Guild mentioned it was “deeply involved” by the proposed modification giving sweeping powers to the Press Data Bureau (PIB).

“This new process principally serves to make it simpler to muzzle the free press, and can give sweeping powers to the PIB, or any ‘different company authorised by the Central Authorities for truth checking’, to pressure on-line intermediaries to take down content material that the federal government might discover problematic,” it mentioned. The Guild famous that the function of the PIB was restricted to disseminating info to information organisations on affairs of the federal government.

“By this proposed modification, sweeping regulatory powers are sought to be given to this company, which is patently unlawful and unconstitutional,” it mentioned within the letter.

The Guild reiterated that whatever the absence of procedures, the modification was in itself an unlawful transfer because the PIB has no constitutional authority to be a regulator of the press in any capability.

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