Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday that the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, fully safeguards journalistic freedom and does not contain any provision that could undermine the media's ability to report freely, IANS reported.

Source: IANS

"There is not even an intention to affect freedom. The privacy law absolutely maintains freedom. It has been enacted as a consequence of the Supreme Court judgment that recognised privacy as a fundamental right," Vaishnaw said, according to IANS.

The minister clarified that the law does not require journalists to seek permission from individuals before reporting on them, nor does it mandate disclosure of news sources. "There is no provision requiring a reporter to take clearance from a person who is the subject of a story. There is also no clause that compels disclosure of the source of a story," he said.

Vaishnaw said the legislation was framed on the basis of the Supreme Court's privacy ruling and underwent extensive public consultation. "The consultation process continued for a month and the industry was part of it. Nowhere does the law infringe upon journalistic freedom," he said.

Separately, PTI reported that the minister invited editors and media professionals for an open dialogue on the DPDP Act amid the press-freedom concerns raised by publishers.

Source: PTI via Dailyworld

The court case behind the remarks

The remarks came a day after the Supreme Court sought the Centre's response to a petition by the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), which represents 21 leading news organisations. The association has argued that the law's failure to provide a specific exemption for journalistic activities could hamper investigative reporting and weaken citizens' right to information.

The government's public defence of the law, together with the invitation to editors, sets up the next stage of the debate: the Centre must now also file its response in the Supreme Court, where the publishers' challenge will be tested.

Sources: IANS and PTI.