Centre to bring in bill for regulation of digital news 

NEW DELHI: The Centre is planning to re-introduce the amendment bill for the regulation of digital news media and punishment for violations. The move to regulate digital media is in view of the proliferation of digital news media without any control by the government and the spread of fake news and misinformation, including on social media.

The government will be re-introducing the controversial draft bill of 2019 which intends to restrict digital media by bringing them under the purview of the IT Act.

The bill, which is under consideration by the Prime Minister's Office, is likely to be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament starting next week with the approval of the Cabinet.

The bill extends the registration and regulations of print and visual media to digital news portals. This is the first time in the country that digital media is being brought under the purview of the law. With the amendment, digital news media will come under the direct control of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The Centre is planning to amend the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which regulates the printing presses and the newspapers in the country. The Registration of Press and Periodicals Bill, which will replace it, will bring under its ambit the digital media and news portals as well.

A draft bill prepared by the central government in 2019 to regulate digital news in the form of text, audio, video and graphics through the Internet, computer and mobile phone by bringing them under the ambit of the new IT Act had become highly controversial. The central government at that time had not moved further with the draft bill.