The Information Technology Act, 2000 was enacted by the Indian Parliament in 2000.
It is the primary law in India for matters related to cybercrime and e-commerce.
The act was enacted to give legal sanction to electronic commerce and electronic transactions, to enable e-governance, and also to prevent cybercrime.
Under this law, for any crime involving a computer or a network located in India, foreign nationals can also be charged.
The law prescribes penalties for various cybercrimes and fraud through digital/electronic format.
Section 69A
Section 69A empowers the authorities to intercept, monitor or decrypt any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource if it is necessary or expedient to do so in the interest of the sovereignty or integrity of India, defense of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence or for investigation of any offence.
It also empowers the government to block internet sites in the interests of the nation.
The law also contained the procedural safeguards for blocking any site.
The Indian government has taken steps to block an online viral video depicting a schoolteacher instructing students to slap a Muslim classmate in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh.
At least three posts on X (formerly Twitter) have been removed within India, though they are still accessible to users in other countries.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the official responsible for issuing takedown orders under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act did not provide responses to inquiries about the censorship.
X informed users that their posts would no longer be visible in India and offered the option to appeal this action with the Ministry.
This marks the second occurrence this month where videos depicting attacks on minority groups have been blocked on social media platforms.
On August 1, the government directed X to remove footage of a Railway Protection Force constable's communal speech following his involvement in a train shooting that resulted in four deaths.
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