'Fact Check': Kapil Sibal Slams Modi Govt Over IT Amendment Rules

New Delhi: Former IT minister Kapil Sibal attacked the Centre on Saturday over the fact-check provisions of the IT Amendment Rules, saying the government will now decide what is fake, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah said democracy is not in danger. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, said on Thursday that internet companies such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter may lose safe harbour protection if they do not remove content identified as false or misleading by a government-notified fact-checker. Under the IT amendment rules, the govt has given itself the authority to form a 'fact-checking unit' with broad powers to determine what is "fake, false, or misleading" in relation to "any Central Government business.

The ministry has also given itself the authority to direct 'intermediaries' (such as social media intermediaries, Internet Service Providers, and other service providers) not to host such content. 

Taking to Twitter, Sibal said, "Online Platforms : Now PIB will decide what is fake and what is not and notify it If online platforms choose to ignore they will lose their immunity from prosecution Now Government to decide what is fake and what is not ! And Amit Shah ji says democracy is not in danger !"

Online Platforms :

Now PIB will decide what is fake and what is not and notify it

If online platforms choose to ignore they will lose their immunity from prosecution

Now Government to decide what is fake and what is not !

And Amit Shah ji says democracy is not in danger ! — Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) April 8, 2023

Sibal was referring to Shah's remarks in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, when he attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent comments in the UK, saying that "your family" and the idea of dynasty politics are in danger, rather than democracy.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar Issues Clarification On Amended IT Rules 

Chandrasekhar had said the IT ministry will notify an entity that will flag false information posted online pertaining to the government. While releasing guidelines under the IT Rules 2021, the minister had said that the work on fact check is still in progress.

On Friday, Chandrasekhar dismissed the criticism of the change in rules as "deliberate misinformation".

"There are NO Sweeping powers - neither is it 'draconian'. IT Rules already have provisions from Oct 2022, which mandate Social Media intermediaries to not carry certain types of content if they are to have legal immunity under Sec79 of IT act," Chandrasekhar had said on Twitter.

He said the new credible fact-checking unit for all government-related content will help social media intermediaries.