A Better Newspaper

## Overview The Indian government has proposed amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Rules that would extend a regulatory code of ethics — previously applied only to large streaming platforms and broadcasters — to independent journalists (CPJ, April 14). The CPJ called on the Indian government to immediately withdraw the proposed amendments, characterizing them as granting authorities sweeping powers to censor independent journalists (CPJ, April 14). ## Proposed Rule Changes According to the CPJ, the draft amendments would extend an existing regulatory code of ethics to cover independent digital journalists, a category previously outside its scope (CPJ, April 14). The CPJ characterized the proposed powers as "sweeping" in their censorship potential, though the full text of the draft rules and the specific enforcement mechanisms were not detailed in available reporting. ## Context within Indian Media Law India's IT Rules have been a recurring battleground between press freedom advocates and the government. The 2021 IT Rules introduced intermediary liability and oversight mechanisms that drew significant criticism from digital rights organizations. The proposed 2026 amendments reportedly extend the regulatory perimeter further into individual journalism, a development that would represent a significant escalation. ## Geopolitical & Commercial Implications India is the world's largest democracy and a major digital economy. Regulatory restrictions on independent digital journalism have implications for: foreign media operations in India, platform liability for hosting independent journalism content, and India's international reputation on democratic governance at a time when it is actively courting Western investment and strategic partnerships. ## Considerations for Attorneys & Entrepreneurs - **Platform liability**: Extending the code of ethics to independent journalists may create downstream obligations for platforms hosting their content. - **Foreign press operations**: International media organizations with Indian operations should assess compliance exposure under the proposed rules. - **Constitutional challenge viability**: Indian constitutional protections for free speech (Article 19) may provide grounds for judicial challenge.