Words like fake, false, misleading in IT Rules problematic
- July 8, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Words like fake, false, misleading in IT Rules problematic
Subject : Governance
Concept :
- Constitutional validity of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 is being questioned in the Bombay High Court.
Information Technology Amendment Rules, 2023
- Online gaming intermediaries must make efforts to not give a platform or advertise any online game that can cause the user harm or that has not been verified as a permissible online game by an online gaming self-regulatory body.
- Online gaming intermediaries in relation to online games involving real money must display a mark of verification by the self-regulatory body on such games.
- The government can choose to designate multiple self-regulating bodies for the online gaming industry. These bodies will represent the industry, but they will operate independently from the members of the industry.
- The new rules require online platforms to not post, share, or host any information that is fake, false, or misleading about the Central Government’s work.
- This fake, false, or misleading information will be identified by the notified Fact Check Unit of the Central Government.
- Failure to comply with the guidelines of the Fact-Checking Unit might result in losing the safe harbour protection which safeguards the intermediaries from litigation.
Safe Harbour Priniciple
- The safe harbour principle of the IT Act, 2000 relieves the internet intermediaries from responsibility for third-party content on their platforms. This provision ensures that social media platforms are not liable for posts published by users.