- By Prateek Levi
- Thu, 20 Feb 2025 04:23 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Digital India Bill: Recently there has been a lot of controversy over Ranveer Allahabadia's comments on parents in Samay Raina's show 'India's Got Latent' in which he has been accused of making obscene remarks. There were several FIRs that were filed in the country regarding this and the matter has reached the Supreme Court. During the hearing, the court requested a response from the central government concerning the spread of obscene content on YouTube and social media. In response, the government has expedited the progress on the proposed Digital India Bill.
To curb instances of pornography on social media, the central government is working on introducing the Digital India Bill, which will replace the current IT Act. This new law will include regulations for YouTubers, digital platforms, and social media users. The government has been working on this bill for around 15 months. It will feature specific laws for various sectors, with distinct provisions for telecommunications, information technology, and information and broadcasting.
Due to the controversy revolving around Ranveer Allahabadia's case, the Center is revisiting the Digital India Bill. However, AI governance has been kept away from it and a separate regulation will be tabled for it. Currently, the government is in a rush to provide an answer to the Supreme Court to give an explanation for the shortcomings of the IT Act.
More than 90 Crore People in India Have Internet Access Now
The IT Act 2000 has now become outdated, at the time of its making there were merely 60 lakh people who were using the internet now the number has crossed 90 crores as well.
What is the Digital India Act?
The Digital India Act (DIA) is a proposed law that will take the place of the current Information Technology Act (IT Act) 2000. The DIA will be governing the digital space in India and will bring under its purview cybersecurity, digital governance and online safety.
Key feature under the Act:
Online Safety- This will protect the citizen's rights by addressing online harm, de-platforming, doxxing, and social media algorithms
Data Protection: The DIA will complement other data-related regulations, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.
Cybersecurity: The DIA will tackle cybersecurity issues and safeguard against data breaches.
Challenges
Privacy: Opponents argue that the DIA may give the government too much surveillance authority, possibly infringing on privacy rights.
Data Localization: The DIA's stance on data localization could hinder cross-border data flows, potentially affecting global businesses.