News sites could face action for violations; Bill will make registration of digital media must
The Government is expected to bring new legislation to regulate digital media in the country. The Bill will make registration of digital media mandatory with the Press Registrar General on the lines of newspapers and include strict citizenship provisions for those working in digital media.
The proposed Registration of Press and Periodicals Bill will have provision for action for “violations” by digital media. The Bill will replace the 155-year-old registration of Books (PRB) Act to include digital media.
The RPP Bill 2019 was placed for suggestions from the public and stakeholders three years ago.
In early 2021, the Government came out with guidelines for digital media engaged in publishing news and directed the portals to appoint grievance redressal officers.
These guidelines have been challenged in several High Courts. The Centre has approached the Supreme Court to transfer all cases to the apex court.
The draft Bill, which was circulated in 2019, proposed to decriminalise many provisions in the PRB Act of 1867 with a simplified registration process.
As per the proposed RPP Bill of 2019, the Editor and Publisher should be “ordinarily residing Indian citizen” and the media companies should be registered in India.
The new Bill has deleted the provisions of arresting publishers, except in heinous and serious crimes.
All the registration powers of District Magistrates in the PRB Act of 1867 are centralised with a new post — Press Registrar and an Appellate Board, the draft suggested.
The draft Bill defined news on digital media as news in digitised format that can be transmitted over the internet, computer or mobile networks and includes text, audio, video and graphics.