A Spectre Is Haunting This Government - The Spectre Of Digital News | #MidweekMatters | OTT Platform (2)
In this week’s Midweek Matters, Let's unpack the implications of the new IT Rules 2021 for our democratic polity. Modi Government’s indecent hurry to bring in these new regulations to rein in digital news platforms without discussion in Parliament and consultations with civil society and advocacy groups betrays its fear of digital news platforms. After co-opting and/or gaining control over the mainstream media, the central government now wants to arm itself to silence dissenting voices on the net and digital news platforms. The New Rules empower the government officers to decide which posts are against the interests of state and public order. They empower the government to pull down content, force social networks to part with ‘originators’ of messages and content not to the liking of government. These seemingly small steps may lead to eventual subversion of our democratic polity.