The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) held the first-ever consultation on the proposed Digital India Act on March 10th. Further, they discussed rules for handling data captured by invasive devices and stated the draft of the Act to be passed by April 2023.
The bill was due to be released this month but was held back for additional consultations. However, the much-awaited draft of the Digital India Bill for public consultation will be released within the next two weeks.
Currently, there are over 850 million internet users in India, marking a significant increase from the 5.5 million in 2000. Over the years, the internet has witnessed a rise in cyber crimes, violent content, and improper use of government-issued identity cards, and the old Act is inadequate to address these concerns. Hence, certain provisions are needed to update and re-evaluate rising situations.
Amid the growing threat of misleading information, the Indian government plans to enforce more innovation, and startups, at the same time, protect citizens’ data in terms of security, accountability, and trust.
The new Digital India Act 2023 aims to replace the existing Information Technology Act (IT Act) of 2000. It aims to provide a strict legal framework to support India’s techade goals, taking into consideration the need to protect users from the growing threat of AI-related misinformation. The Act will cover a range of topics, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybercrime, data protection, online safety, and deepfakes. The need for responsible and ethical use of online technologies will not only shape the technological future of India but also safeguard users’ confidential information.
