Indian journalists write joint letter about proposed online media regulations
More than a hundred journalists and online media professionals have written a letter to broadcasting minister Smriti Irani. The letter expresses concern about a proposal to extend rules related to broadcast media, such as print and TV, to online media. The new rules would be suggested by a 10-member-committee, mainly comprised of government officials, with no input from representatives from the digital media sector. According to the letter, online content is fundamentally different from print and broadcast media, as it is produced by individual citizens ‘in exercise of their constitutional right to freedom of expression’. In addition, the letter claims that online content is already subject to norms and guidelines that have been defined in the IT Act.