After revoking the controversial guidelines on controlling fake news, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry announced the formation of a committee to look into regulations pertaining to online media. The committee will be convened by the I&B ministry secretary and includes officials from the ministries of telecom, home, law, and representatives of the Press Council of India, News Broadcasters Association and Indian Broadcasters Federation.

The news of this move came about two days ago and has since raised many questions, notable among them is why the committee does not have a single representative from the online industry on board. In a statement released by NDTV, the channel said: “The youngest and most democratic of all media – online media – must be allowed self-regulation: the chance to develop and implement its own guidelines for responsible and fair journalism.”

NDTV also broadcast a primetime debate yesterday on whether the move smacked of another attempt to control the media. The panel, among others, included Newslaundry Chief Executive Officer Abhinandan Sekhri who pointed at flaws in the formation of the committee. Meanwhile, The Indian Express today put out an editorial headlined, “Once bitten, not shy”. The edit underlines the fact that the online media space gives “voice to interest groups and communities which otherwise go unheard”.  It notes: “To propose to police such a space through the agency of a bureaucracy — beyond the already existing ambit of regulation — that is interested in command and control, is grossly anti-democratic.”

In the online space, The Wire put out a piece highlighting the problems with the move and how it may impact media freedom.