Why in Broadcast?

• The Union government formally outlined a proposed version of the Digital India Act, 2023 — the legislative framework expected to replace the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000

Global Standard Cyber Laws

• Global standard cyber laws, proposed under the Digital India Act, 2023, are aimed at helping India reach the target of a $1 trillion digital economy.

Objectives of Global Standard Cyber Laws

1. Ensure Indian internet is open, safe and trusted and accountable.
2. Accelerate the growth of innovation and technology ecosystem.
3. Manage the internet’s complexities and expansion of intermediary types.
4. Create a framework for accelerating digitalisation of government and strengthen democracy and governance
5. Protect citizens’ rights.
6. Address emerging technologies and risks.
7. Be future-proof and future-ready.

The Big Umbrella

• The Digital India Act (DIA) will be a four-pronged legislation, out of which a draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill was put out by the government last year.
• The other prongs are:

• The DIA rules,
• The National Data Governance Policy,
• Amendments to the Indian Penal Code.

Need of The Digital India Act

• India today has 850 million internet users, compared to 5.5 million users in 2000.
• According to the central government, India is the world’s largest “digitally connected democracy”.
• The internet is largely governed by the IT Act, 2000, which was created for the nascent internet ecosystem in pre-digital India.
• A lack of provisions on user rights, and trust and safety, among other challenges, limit the IT Act.
• The internet has evolved from being a source of information to also being a platform for disinformation and fake news.
• Lack of data and privacy protection are also shortcomings of the current laws that regulate the internet and cyberspace in India, giving rise to the need for an overhaul.

Digital India Goals 2026

• $1 trillion digital economy by 2025-26.
• Shape the future of technologies.
• Global innovation and entrepreneurship system.
• Become a significant and trusted global player for digital products, devices, platforms and solutions.

Aim of the DIA

• The Digital India Act, 2023 aims to achieve the following goals:

• Evolvable Digital Law: Form evolvable rules that are consistent with the changing trends in technologies and can be updated according to the needs of the country’s digital infrastructure.
• Adjudicatory Mechanism: Offer an easily accessible adjudicatory mechanism for online civil and criminal offences.
• Principles and Rules-Based Approach: The DIA will provide a legislative framework keeping overarching governing principles in mind to ensure compliance.