Parl panel seeks I.T. ministry reply on how law tackles obscene content

The development comes a day after the Supreme Court suggested that it would like the government to consider an anti-obscenity law for YouTube and social media.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, who heads the parliamentary standing committee on communications and information technology, on Wednesday sought a note from the ministry on the efficacy of existing laws to deal with obscene content, and the need to amend the existing IT Act, 2000.

According to a senior functionary of the panel, it is set to recommend to the government a new law on obscenity on social media. (Sansad TV/ PTI)

The development comes a day after the Supreme Court suggested that it would like the government to consider an anti-obscenity law for YouTube channels and social media.

According to a senior functionary of the panel, it is set to recommend to the government a new law that would be “more effective to protect women, children, and common people” from obscene content that is freely available on the net.

Dubey’s letter on “Proposed amendments in IT Act, 2000 and other measures/actions contemplated by the Ministry for regulation and monitoring of obscene, indecent, vulgar and slanderous content in digital and social media platforms” said, “In the light of above and growing incidents of misuse of digital and social media platforms, the Ministry of Electronics and IT are requested to send a brief note to this Committee on the efficacy of existing laws to deal with such cases and need to amend the existing laws/IT Act, 2000.”

Dubey mentioned that amendments are needed “in order to bring such platforms under legal scrutiny so as to safeguard the societal values and protect the dignity of women and children while adhering to the creative expression and freedom of speech guaranteed under Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution.” Article 19 (1)(a) guarantees that All citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression.