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Anyone on the internet writing, or creating ‘content’ related to current affairs will be now classified as digital news broadcasters, says the 2023’s revised copy of broadcasting bill.
The bill is still under scrutiny. The first draft of the bill was released for public consultation. It has not been tabled in Parliament yet.
The bill is still not available for the public. However, the draft of the bill was accessed by MediaNama, the leading digital publisher and it published an analytical report based on the bill.
Who does the bill refer to?
Any digital content creator who works with text, visuals, audio, images related to news and current affairs and distributes the content through the internet or any other broadcasting means.
If you are not sharing ‘information’ and not classified as a ‘Digital News Broadcaster’, and yet you share ‘informational content’ as curation of knowledge on the internet, then you will be classified as ‘OTT Broadcasters’.
What does the bill mean to an Insta-fluencer?
- They have to register with the Govt. within 30 days of the bill being passed.
- They must have an internal content evaluation committee, the cost of running a committee is on the content creator. The bill also mentions the need for diversity of all groups and castes in the committee. They will have to submit the names and credentials of this committee to the government within 30 days.
- The user is held more responsible than the social media company when it comes to regulation and compliance.
What does the bill mean to the Social Media companies?
- They have to provide whatever necessary information to the officials. Otherwise, a criminal case will be filed against them.
- The regulation of content on the Internet will be more stringent than it is now.
What if you talk about news and current affairs but not monetise the content?
- You don’t have to worry too much. The bill is probably more stringently applicable to those who monetise their content as ‘Digital News Broadcasters’.
What does it mean to monetise the content?
- If you have a youtube channel And, it has Ads that brings you revenue.
- If you have an instagram account that is being sponsored by other brands.
- If you run a blog or website that has Google AdSense enabled, or any type of Ads that brings revenue.
What if I create news ‘content’ on Indian current affairs, but I reside in foreign nations?
- You are still under the constitutional radar of the state. The latest version of the bill expands the definition of ‘person’ beyond the ‘citizen of India’.
The Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, is not yet tabled in the parliament yet. It might be tabled in the parliament in the future sessions after the necessary revisions.
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