Censorship Rising: The IT Rules Crackdown

Proposed changes by the Ministry of Electronics (MeitY) will worsen the government’s recent use of IT rules to silence online political commentators and creators critical of the Prime Minister. IFF's Apar Gupta @clothboundjournal explains that government “clarifications,” advisories, directions, SOPs, and codes of practice beyond the law would become binding on platforms, enabling bureaucrats to illegally decide what gets taken down, potentially in secret. Also, fresh obligations meant for digital news outlets would extend to ordinary users, allowing the government to block content or remove accounts even for everyday complaints or comment on politics or current affairs. If thats not all personal data could be retained for years under other laws beyond the IT Rules’ three-month mark. Join The Wire's Youtube Membership and get exclusive content, member-only emojis, live interaction with The Wire's founders, editors and reporters and much more. Memberships to The Wire Crew start at Rs 89/month. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWtJey46brNr7qHQpN6KLQ/join