New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought answers from the government after India’s news publishers challenged the new data privacy rules as undermining press freedom and investigative journalism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government last year introduced new rules to implement the Personal Data Protection Act. However, critics have said that since the scope of the rules is wide, journalism in the public interest may be affected.
In a petition filed by the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), which represents India’s major news organizations, it has been stated that the new rules do not provide any exemptions for journalism and this puts the entire journalism sector at risk.
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Group’s Network 18 and Gautam Adani’s NDTV are also affiliated to this organization. Both businessmen are considered close to Modi.
DNPA’s Sujata Gupta, speaking to AFP, said that the new rules could affect investigative journalism and put information sources at risk.
Data privacy laws in various regions of the world, including the European Union, have provided for special exemptions for journalism.
Reporters Without Borders, an international media monitoring organization, has also stated that the provision of disclosing all processed personal data without granting an exemption for journalism may seriously hinder investigative journalism. According to the organization, such a system can discourage people who expose irregularities and wrongdoings to disclose information.
In India, independent rights activists and small news organizations have also challenged changes in the Right to Information (RTI) law that exempts personal information.
In a petition filed by the investigative news website ‘The Reporters Collective’, it has been expressed concern that when the provision of prioritizing public interest is removed from the RTI Act, government agencies may withhold information directly related to public activities or public interest as personal information.
Critics have been accusing the Modi-led Hindu nationalist government of undermining press freedom. The government has been denying such allegations.
The Supreme Court will hear the case again on November 17.