Up To Rs 500 Crore Penalty For Violations, Criminalisation of Doxing And Dog-Whistling In Proposed Digital India Bill

The government is expected to propose a penalty of up to Rs 500 crore for violations of the provisions of the Digital India Bill.

As per the proposed Bill, any government agency may be authorized by the Centre to monitor and collect traffic data generated, transmitted, received, or stored in any digital system to enhance cyber security.

The Bill also aims to identify, analyze, and prevent intrusion or the spread of malware or viruses.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) is currently working on a draft for the Digital India Bill, which aims to replace the outdated IT Act that was implemented over 22 years ago during the early stages of the internet.

"The Digital India Bill may come with a provision of a penalty of up to ₹500 crore on entities for breach of obligations," a source was quoted as saying by PTI.

However, before making a final decision on the penalty amount, the authority will need to consider various factors such as the severity of the breach, the number of users affected, and the duration of the impact on individuals.

According to sources, disputes under the proposed Act would not fall within the jurisdiction of civil courts. If entities are unsatisfied with the resolution provided by the Digital India Authority, they may have the option to challenge it before the Supreme Court.

The proposed Bill is likely to identify and define various types of damage that victims may encounter in the digital world.

It is expected that the Bill will define and criminalise offenses such as doxing, cybersquatting, astroturfing, and dog-whistling, among others.

The Bill will establish regulations to govern the development and deployment of emerging technologies, particularly in response to the challenges posed by the advancement of artificial intelligence.