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| DB disposes of PIL seeking regulation of online social media news agencies, portals | | |
Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 3: A division bench of Jammu & Kashmir High Court comprising Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur disposed of a PIL with the observations that the petitioner in regard to regulating and controlling the social media network may submit representation and suggestions to the Principal Secretary to the Government, Information Department along-with his detailed representation as to the grievance in the manner in which he wants social media news channels to be permitted and regulated.
The PIL filed by Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Forum, a Trust, through its General Secretary is seeking direction to the government to not allow online news networks and portals to function without proper license or permission. In the event, the petitioner so submits the representation and the suggestions, the government and the Principal Secretary, Information Department would be free to consider the same and take an appropriate action most expeditiously as may be permissible in law.
The PIL also prays for appointment of a regulatory authority for grant of permissions to the social media news channels, networks and news portals. The PIL underscores that details sought by the petitioner under Right to Information Act from Director Information Jammu and Kashmir do not attest to any permission having been granted to any person for running the online news agencies and channels.
“In absence of any permission having been granted by the competent authority for running a news portal it is sufficient to infer that there is no proper, legal and regulatory mechanism in place at present with the result a state of confusion prevails on the subject as to the genuineness of any news transmitted by such channels and portals,” pleads the PIL.
“Every person with a hanging camera and holding a mic poses himself as a journalist irrespective of the fact whether he or she is authorized and permitted to work as journalist and whether he or she has the requisite qualification” alleges the PIL.
“Fake journalists running Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter pages have become a new virus that has spread everywhere in Kashmir. They continue to harass officials to create viral videos and sensational news stories and such steps also tend to tarnish the image of real journalists and media persons and therefore such vagrants need to be discouraged,” reads the PIL.
“Real professional journalists from major newspapers, news channels and news agencies follow a strict code of ethics,” it states. With regard to monitoring of cable operators, the PIL says under cable networking law every District Magistrate, in his respective jurisdiction, is competent and empowered to exercise effective control over the cable operators.
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