Social media along with all messaging platforms in India including Whatsapp, Telegram, and Signal will come under the preview of the telecom bill being drafted for light-touch regulations. Ashwini Vaishnaw, telecom minster announced the same on Friday.
Indian Telegraph Act already regulated such apps but currently, the new Bill too will oversee the same since these apps offer voice and video calling. The Minister further lauded the fancy that with new-age tech, voice and data calls barely make much difference.
What’s In Store?
- To make it clear, the minister added that some light-touch regulatory structure will lead to better use protection without compromising on innovation or without being too much regulation.
- The government proposed broadening the definition for telecommunication services for the same to include internet communication plus broadcasting services in this telecom bill. The latter describes such services as the OTT communication services. Industry pundits believe that communication platforms will need licences, revenue models with government and get treated as per the rules of all telecom service providers.
- The telecom minister added that the government will consider all stakeholder inputs during consultation process prior to writing this final bill. The bill might become law in around 10 months’ time.
- This is being touted as a baby step towards introduction of a comprehensive legal framework for which the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill will be the next step in legislation. This will get followed by Digital India Bill.
Summing Up
The minister added, “The enabling framework for resolving any distress in the sector has to be clearly thought-through and (in) clearly justifiable circumstances. If something happens which is a once-in-a-20-year scenario, the law must be able to give a clear framework.”
