Editors Guild of India Raises Concerns Over Digital Personal Data Protection Act

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 19th Feb. The Editors Guild of India has submitted a letter to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) outlining significant concerns regarding the impact of the recently enacted Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA) on journalistic activities.

Of particular concern to the Guild is Section 7 of the DPDPA, which mandates obtaining consent for processing any personal data in the course of journalistic activities. The absence of exemptions for journalistic activities could potentially hinder journalists’ ability to carry out their duties effectively, as they would be required to rely solely on consent for processing personal data.

The Guild referenced the report by the Committee of Experts chaired by Justice B.N. Srikrishna, which highlighted the impracticality of mandating consent for processing personal data in journalistic activities. This requirement, as noted in the report, could impede the press’s role in ensuring transparency and accountability.

In its representation, the Guild pointed out that previous iterations of India’s data protection laws had exemptions for processing personal data for journalistic purposes. Therefore, the Guild urged MeitY to consider exempting processing for journalistic purposes from the DPDPA’s provisions and to provide a class exemption for data fiduciaries engaged in journalistic processing.

The Guild emphasized that such exemptions are crucial to safeguarding the right to freedom of speech and expression, as well as the right of journalists to carry out their professional duties unhindered.

The representation underscores the Guild’s commitment to protecting journalistic freedoms and ensuring a conducive environment for the press to operate in India.