According to a press release from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the time for making comments on the online gaming regulations has been extended to January 25, 2023. (MeitY). Initially, January 17 was the deadline for comments on the proposed changes to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 regarding online gambling. The Ministry changed the amendments pertaining to “due diligence by an intermediary under rule 3(1)(b)(v)” and thereby delayed the deadline.
What has changed so suddenly? According to the modifications, social media intermediaries, significant social media intermediaries, and online gaming intermediaries must make sure users don’t post information that “deceives or misleads the addressee about the origin of the message or knowingly and intentionally communicates any information which is patently false or misleading in nature but may reasonably be perceived as a fact.” The fact-checking division of the Press Information Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will assess whether any information is false (MIB). Given that such censorship regulations have a significant impact on digital news media, this information is likely to make news publications more cautious as well.
