26 May 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

May 26th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Cyclone 'Yaas'
2. Government clarification regarding issues with Whatsapp

1. Cyclone ‘Yaas’

Context:

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Yaas’ made landfall on Odisha coast.

Details:

• Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Yaas’ made landfall about 20 kms south of Balasore on the Odisha coast.
• The pre-emptive measures taken by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on the Eastern Seaboard and Andaman & Nicobar Islands helped save many lives and property.

Read more on Cyclone ‘Yaas’ in the link.

2. Government clarification regarding issues with Whatsapp

• The government of India has stated that it recognises the Right to Privacy as a fundamental right and is committed to ensuring the same to Indian citizens.
• But at the same time, it is committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring national security.
• The IT Minister stated that “none of the measures proposed by India will impact the normal functioning of WhatsApp in any manner whatsoever and for the common users, there will be no impact”.
• The clarification stated that the right to privacy like all fundamental rights are not absolute and is subject to reasonable restrictions.
  • It stated that the requirements in the Intermediary Guidelines pertaining to the first originator of information are an example of such a reasonable restriction.
• As per the Intermediary Guidelines, the originator of information can only be traced in a scenario where other remedies have proven to be ineffective, making the same a last resort measure. Moreover, such information can only be sought as per a process sanctioned by the law thereby incorporating sufficient legal safeguards.
• The clarification also stated that an order to trace the originator shall be passed only for the purposes of prevention, investigation, punishment, etc. of an offence relating to sovereignty, integrity and security of India, public order, incitement to an offence relating to rape, sexually explicit material or child sexual abuse material punishable with imprisonment for not less than five years.
• It said that WhatsApp’s refusal to comply with the guidelines is a clear act of defiance of a measure whose intent cannot be doubted.
• It said that the company was seeking a privacy policy wherein it will share the data of all its user with its parent company, Facebook, for marketing and advertising purposes.
• The clarification also noted that the Rules have global precedence.

The Central Government enacted the Information Technology (Guidelines For Intermediaries And Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 in February 2021. Read more on the guidelines in the link.

Read previous PIB here.

May 26th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here