Kerala CM: We’ll assess if a law is needed to control online media channels
Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala, stated on Thursday that the government will look into whether a legislation governing YouTube-hosted news outlets is necessary.
When the police take action against several Malayalam internet news stations, the Chief Minister’s remark before the state legislature becomes significant. P V Sreenijin, a left-leaning MLA, filed a police complaint after claiming that a website purposefully propagated false information about him.
On Thursday, Left MLA P V Anvar made a submission to the House claiming that YouTube news stations were not subject to the existing legislation and that many of them purportedly propagated incorrect or defamatory information. The Chief Minister acknowledged the gravity of the situation and stated that the Information Technology Rules of 2021 forbade the publication of any information on online media platforms, including YouTube, that is defamatory or detrimental to a country’s sovereignty, friendly relations with other countries, law and order, etc.
According to the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access to Information by Public) Rules, 2009, the federal government has selected an officer to prohibit such information, the CM stated. He further said that the secretary of the state IT department has been selected as the nodal person to review complaints about false or defamatory information on online media channels and advise the designated officer to stop it.
He noted that the nodal officer may also make such recommendations in accordance with court directions. Additionally, Vijayan said, “a legislation to govern such channels may also be reviewed, as recommended by the member of the House.
Sreenijin also claimed in his lawsuit that the online media outlet had made unflattering remarks about his father-in-law, a former Chief Justice of India. The activities against the online media outlets sparked a political uproar in the state, with the opposition UDF, headed by the Congress, and the governing CPI(M) in the state coming under heavy fire for them and being accused of “hunting” media professionals.
