Though people are happy to see spread of digital communication system unprecedentedly improving the daily working patterns of the Government, business houses, trading outlets, school , colleges, universities, hospitals, banks and the likes but what concerns people is the changing complexion of digital communication system changing the operation of digital media platforms . In the fast changing digital communication scenario people within and outside Jammu & Kashmir raise questions on conduct and behaviour of the people running digital media platforms and very rightly so. The digital media platforms using content without due respect and regard for the emotions of others is hurting and humiliating people and such a dangerous trend if not countered through a proper system of checks and balance would spoil the very social fabric of any area. While the operators of the digital media platforms show little concern for the content they publish, the people are worried about the use of objectionable contents by the digital media platforms within and outside Jammu & Kashmir. In a very sorry state of affairs day in and day out hate speeches, fake news , morphed images or videos spread fast on the digital platforms and the people hurt by the spread of such objectionable contents don’t find anyone to hear their grievances for the purpose of appropriate investigation and legal action. People have no two opinion on the fact that contents spreading hatred among individuals resulting most of the times in serious conflicts among the individuals or groups of individual is a very dangerous precedence which if not stopped would disturb the very social fabric any part of Jammu & Kashmir like any other part of the country . Though fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed in the constitution of India but it is also a fact that onus for stopping the spread of hate speeches, fake new, morphed audios or videos lies on law enforcing authorities as spread of such objectionable contents mostly hurts and humiliates even the people who are known for their good moral conduct and behaviour, professional integrity and ethics.
In the current scenario of digital transformation the regulation of the digital media platforms has not become only imperative but also an unavoidable compulsion. Never forget that code of ethics for digital media as explained explicitly and implicitly in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021is enforceable. It is also a fact that Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India under the Press Council Act, 1978, Program Code under section 5 of the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995, is to be followed by one and all.
Sometimes somehow the intervention of law enforcing authorities becomes mandatory and as such it would be better for the Government to devise some institutional, administrative and legal methods for actions against the people crossing limits of human decency while publishing contents on the digital media platforms. Good use of digital communication has no doubt eased the accessibility of people to some key public services for which they had to go from pillar to post at least a decade ago but it is also a fact that misuse of digital communication methods is damaging the reputation of the people who are known for moral their conduct and behaviour, ethics and professional integrity. In the current scenario of digital transformation the regulation of the digital media platforms has not become only imperative but also an unavoidable compulsion. Never forget that code of ethics for digital media as explained explicitly and implicitly in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021is enforceable. It is also a fact that Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India under the Press Council Act, 1978, Program Code under section 5 of the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995, is to be followed by one and all.
