Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar presented the purpose and design principles of the Digital India Act at the Digital India Dialogues in Bengaluru on March 9.
The minister not only presented the objectives and ideas behind this law, but also mentioned that this was the first time that a public consultation for a new law started with a dialogue.
During the presentation, MoS Chandrasekhar also pointed out the challenges that old laws have failed to solve in a vastly evolved digital world, including online crime, cybersecurity, hate speech, disinformation and fake news.
According to the presentation, the new law should adhere to the principles of Digital India and advance through rules while ensuring that the primary focus areas are open internet, online safety and trust, accountability and quality of service, arbitration mechanisms and new technologies .
However, it was mentioned that a core team in the IT Ministry has been working on this including MoS, Additional Secretary, GC Cyberlaw, ASG, External Legal Expert and Industry Expert.
The team will focus on doing a comparative study of all relevant global laws related to the internet and technology in other countries, then drafting the bill, followed by consultations, as well as drafting a cabinet memorandum and policy.
Expert opinion
Major Vineet Kumar, Founder and Global President of CyberPeace Foundation, told News18 that the Digital India Act aims to replace the IT Act of 2000 and create a modern and comprehensive legal framework that is in line with global cyber law standards, and to create a create synergy between other accounts, the Personal Data Protection Act 2022, the Telecommunications Act 2022 and the Intermediary Regulations.
According to him, the goal is:
- It is trying to establish an internet regulator.
- The individual’s right to secure their information and the requirement to use personal data for lawful purposes are the main obstacles to data protection or regulation.
- It tries to deal with this difficulty. There will be a limit to the extent to which an individual’s personal information can be accessed for legal reasons.
- A majority of the bill’s features violate the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
“It is critical to enact legislation that will set new guidelines for the rights and responsibilities of individuals and state the requirement to collect data. This should foster innovation and growth by providing a clear and predictable regulatory framework,” added Kumar.
Shasanka Sahu, head of marketing at Instasafe, said this law is a much-needed change that has been pending.
“It has considered users’ cybersecurity needs, data privacy, data moderation, and room for emerging technologies such as AI, ML, and ChatGPT. With cyber threats on the rise, Digital India and Cybersecurity need to be closely integrated to make it a Secure-Digital India Movement,” he noted.
Roland Landers, CEO of All India Gaming Federation, applauded the law on social media. He told News18 that they “believe that comprehensive legislation that enables innovation while protecting user safety will really go a long way in ensuring India’s place as a global standard-setter for regulating the digital sphere”.
Meanwhile, Manish Mimani, CEO and founder of Protectt.ai, believes the law can help consumers and businesses trust each other by ensuring personal information is safe and promoting secure digital transactions, and can drive innovation and growth in the digital world . sector.
However, he said: “It is essential that the law is inclusive and takes into account the diverse needs and interests of all stakeholders. The law should also be aligned with international best practices and standards to ensure India remains competitive in the global digital economy.”
In addition, he said that the implementation of the law should be carefully monitored and evaluated to ensure its effectiveness in achieving its objectives
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