In The Hindu’s report on the government’s proposal to redefine “obscenity” for all digital content, Mishi Choudhary underscored how the draft effectively ports the Cable TV Programme Code onto the internet, marking an unprecedented expansion of content regulation. She noted that the proposal attempts to revive portions of the IT Rules currently stayed by courts, reflecting a broader pattern of the executive widening its powers through secondary legislation. Choudhary cautioned that the sweeping definitions and revived restrictions could significantly chill online speech and sidestep constitutional scrutiny. Her assessment framed the proposal as a major regulatory shift that risks normalising expansive state control over digital expression.
Critical Legal Concerns Noted in The Hindu’s Coverage of Proposed Online Content Rules
