NEW DELHI: The newly formed intermediary guidelines for India’s IT Act may affect users’ right to freedom of expression and privacy, according to said experts. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, require intermediaries, including platforms like Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc, to trace tweets, posts and texts back to their source. “The word ‘traceability’ by itself raises concerns of privacy but all fundamental rights are circumscribed by reasonable restrictions," said N.S. He said traceability of first originator will require private messaging apps to retain more data on users’ texts, which includes metadata about messages, that is currently deleted by many platforms. The government will have to put in place a mechanism that allows law enforcement requirements to be evaluated on the “anvil of reasonable restrictions", said Nappinai.

Source: Mint February 27, 2021 06:49 UTC