Anantnag: In response to the rising concerns surrounding unregistered online news portals and social media pages disseminating news and current affairs without proper verification and accountability, the District Magistrate of Anantnag, Syeed Fakhrudin Hamid (IAS), has issued an order under Section 144 CrPC, 1973.
The order, numbered 183-DCA of 2023 and dated 12-12-2023, comes after the Senior Superintendent of Police Anantnag reported a proliferation of such platforms engaging in reporting activities within the jurisdiction of District Anantnag.
Highlighting the lack of adherence to ethical standards, the order emphasises the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India’s notification (No G.S.R. 139(E) dated February, 25 2021) regarding Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The notification categorises these unregistered online news portals and social media news portals as ‘publishers of news and current affairs content’ falling under specific clauses of the mentioned rules.
In accordance with Section 9(1) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the order mandates that such publishers adhere to the code of ethics outlined in the appendix to these rules.
The District Magistrate’s directive, effective immediately, applies to all unregistered online news portals and social media news portals operating within or from the jurisdiction of District Anantnag. Any violation of this order is subject to punitive action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and other relevant legal provisions.
This move aims to ensure responsible and ethical journalism practices within the district and to maintain the integrity of news dissemination through digital platforms.
