Jeff Paine, Managing Director of Asia Internet Coalition, has released an open statement (pdf) regarding India’s current proposed intermediary liability guidelines, expressing deep concern regarding users’ privacy and free speech. AIC’s statement to MeitY states that the current draft rules “fall short of India’s legal precedents and laws around privacy and free speech.” It adds that, “While Internet intermediaries fully support addressing issues like malicious misinformation, we strongly feel that blanket regulation that is overly broad and contains vague and ambiguous language will jeopardise citizens’ fundamental rights to privacy and free speech.” It urges the government and policy makers to take a ‘long-term view and avoid reactive regulation.. To ensure that Indian consumers and small businesses benefit from global digital opportunities.’ The AIC is an association whose current members are AirBnB, Amazon, Apple, Expedia Group, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, LINE, Rakuten, Twitter, Booking.com and Yahoo (Oath). The group has also submitted its response (pdf) to MeitY’s Draft of “The Information Technology [Intermediary Guidelines (Amendment)] Rules 2018 (Draft Rules). From its submission, the association concludes that ".. any legislation that regulates intermediaries ought to take cognizance of the prevailing procedure established by law, judicial precedents, and global practices. The Draft Rules, to a large extent, disregard several principles upheld by the SC and the provisions of its parent legislation, the IT Act. To ensure that companies in the Indian market enhance the services offered to users, any regulation affecting the privacy of users and their rights to exercise their freedom of speech on…
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Asia Internet Coalition raises user privacy and free speech concerns over draft Intermediary Guidelines
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