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ARTICLE · 26 AUGUST 2021

Freedom Of Speech And Expression Vs. Content Regulation: The Battle Continues

Obhan Mason
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The Government of India, in February 2021, introduced the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 ("Rules") under the Information Technology Act, 2000

IndiaTechnology
Ashima Obhan
Ashima Obhan
Akanksha Dua
Akanksha Dua
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The Government of India, in February 2021, introduced the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 ("Rules") under the Information Technology Act, 2000 ("IT Act"), to regulate intermediaries, publishers and individual creators of news and current affairs content and online curated content.

Since the introduction of the Rules, a number of petitions challenging the same have been filed and are currently pending before the High Courts of Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka etc. Recently, two petitions have been filed before the Bombay High Court that mount a challenge to the Rules on the ground that they are ultra vires the IT Act and the provisions of Articles 14, 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India. One petition, Agij Promotion of Nineteenonea Media Private Limited and Ors. Vs. Union of India and Anr.1 was filed by 'the Leaflet', a digital news web portal which has published articles, opinion pieces and reportage

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