Governance

No coercive action against digital media without our approval, says Madras HC

·         The Madras supreme court asked the central government to not take any coercive action against digital media firms that are members of Indian Broadcasters and Digital Media Foundation, under key provisions of the new IT Rules, 2021, while not seeking its permission.

·         About indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) IBDF may be a unified representative body of the television broadcasters in India. The organisation was founded within the year 1999.

·         Over 250 Indian tv channels are related to it. Recently, in May, 2021, The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the apex body of broadcasters, was expanded  to hide digital streaming platforms and renamed because the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF).

·         The move brought the broadcasters and OTT (over-the-top) platforms, that had seen a considerable jump in their viewership base when the pandemic, below one roof.

·         IBDF conjointly formed a self-regulatory body named as Digital Media Content regulative Council (DMCRC) for digital OTT platforms.

·         DMCRC could be a second-tier mechanism at the appellate level and is similar to Broadcast Content complaint Council (BCCC), that IBF had implemented for the linear broadcasting sector method back in 2011.

·         The IBDF is that the parent organisation of the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) that was set up within the year 2011.

·         The BCCC examines content-related complaints about all non-news general entertainment channels in india.

·         The info Technology (Intermediary tips and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 Social media intermediaries, with registered users in india above a notified threshold, are classified as significant social media intermediaries (SSMIs).

·         SSMIs are needed to observe sure further due diligence like appointing sure personnel for compliance, enabling identification of the primary originator of the data on its platform under certain conditions, and deploying technology-based measures on a best-effort basis to identify certain kinds of content.

·         The Rules prescribe a framework for the regulation of content by on-line publishers of reports and current affairs content, and curated audio-visual content.

·         All intermediaries are needed to produce a grievance redressal mechanism for resolution complaints from users or victims.

·         A three-tier grievance redressal mechanism with variable levels of self- regulation has been prescribed for publishers. Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) its a13-member collective of the country’s biggest news media firms.

·         DNPA is an organisation of the digital arms of leading media corporations of the country, representing both print and tv entities.

·         Formed in 2018, the DNPA includes: IE on-line Media Services of The Indian express group, ABP Network, Amar Ujala, DainikBhaskar corp, categorical Network, HT Digital Streams, Jagran Prakashan, Lokmat Media, NDTV Convergence, TV nowadays Network, The Malayala Manorama, Times net restricted and Ushodaya Enterprises.