The Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, which started as a draft last year, is facing criticism for allegedly being secretly revised and shared with a few select groups. This has caused a stir on social media and in Parliament, especially among Instagram influencers and YouTubers who fear increased regulation.
Trinamool Congress MP Jawhar Sircar claims the revised bill was distributed privately to businesses and other stakeholders, and he accuses the Modi government of hiding information from Parliament while sharing it with a select few.
The bill’s revised draft suggests that influencers and YouTubers could be classified as "digital news broadcasters," which might put them under new rules similar to those for OTT platforms like Netflix. This would require them to register with the government and possibly create a "content evaluation committee" to review their content before posting, with penalties for non-compliance.
Social media companies might face criminal charges if they don’t provide information requested by the government, and advertising networks could also be regulated under this bill.
Congress leaders argue that these regulations would impose excessive control over content creators, stifle independent news, and make it difficult for small creators to continue. They believe this bill would burden independent journalists and content creators, leading to more censorship and limiting free speech.
