Aditi Agrawal
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Aditi Agrawal
@aditimuses.bsky.social
840 followers 120 following 250 posts
Technology Journalist l Words in Al Jazeera, The Hindu, Print | ex-Hindustan Times, Newslaundry, Forbes India, MediaNama | Tips at [email protected] / @gmail.com | she/her
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Now:

1. Parts of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 come into force today, others will come into force 12/18 months from today.

2. DPDP Rules notified. Some come into effect today, others 12/18 months from today.

3. Data Protection Board established and will consist of 4 members.
November 14, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Now: ECI’s latest advisory on political parties using AI generated content requires:

1. Parties to label synthetic content with labels occupying 10% of photo area, 10% of audio length, or as a permanent label on top of a video. Echoes MeitY’s proposed amendments to IT Rules.
October 24, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Now: Amendment to Rule 3(1)(d) of IT Rules 2021 has been notified in the official gazette. It will come into force on November 15.
October 22, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Now: MeitY has amended Rule 3(1)(d) of IT Rules 2021 to implement a review mechanism, define the seniority of officers who can send takedown notices, issue reasoned orders. Gazette notification to be uploaded tomorrow. To be brought into effect from November 1.
October 22, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Key points as per MeitY:
October 22, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Now: Twitter is going to appeal The Karnataka High Court judgement on the use of Section 79.3.b to issue blocking orders, on the constitutionality of Rule 3.1.d, and the creation of I4C’s Sahyog portal.
September 29, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Now: Details of the “blocking order” issued by MIB against 26 websites and 14 apps for obscenity, vulgarity and pornographic content:
July 25, 2025 at 7:51 AM
As I reported in my newsletter on July 6:
July 8, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Now: X accounts of both BBC Urdu and Outlook India have been unblocked in India by MeitY. BBC Urdu was blocked earlier this week and Outlook India earlier today.
May 11, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Now: Now: Twitter’s Global Affairs account restored in India. MeitY had asked X about its tweet from last night (8,000 accounts, etc.), as per a person aware of the matter. X blocked it in India without an order. Now MeitY has issued an order to X to NOT block it, as per this person.
May 9, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Now: Twitter’s Global Affairs account withheld in India.
May 9, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Now: Twitter just went public with the scale of blocking orders it has received from the Indian government.
May 8, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Now: Indian MIB directs all streaming platforms, media platforms and intermediaries to stop showing any content originating from Pakistan.
May 8, 2025 at 12:15 PM
New: UIDAI has a new Aadhaar app, currently in beta testing, that could nix the pervasive need for photocopies of Aadhaar + allow holders to limit what fields they share at, say, entrance of a historical monument.

Some details in today’s paper.

Link: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/n...
April 9, 2025 at 2:25 AM
New: MeitY told Madras HC:

1. 2023 online gaming amendments to IT Rules “not currently enforceable” as MeitY has not notified any self-regulatory bodies

2. Only a law from Parliament can make Aadhaar mandatory

Short story in paper:

Link to full story: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/o...
March 29, 2025 at 4:00 AM
New: In Karnataka HC, Centre said that S79.3.b of IT Act ‘complements’ S69A blocking process. It said that conflation of two was X’s attempt to evade obligations while retaining safe harbour.

Shorter story in paper:

Full story with Centre’s arguments: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/i...
March 28, 2025 at 1:51 AM
New: I. Parliamentary standing committee on IT recommended:

1. Creating a Media Council to bring different forms of media including print, broadcast and digital under one umbrella

Story in today’s paper:

Link: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/p...
March 23, 2025 at 1:49 AM
New: Due to insufficient workforce, Cert-In’s work in helping entities affected by ransomware incidents is impacted, MeitY told the parliamentary standing committee.

Short story in today’s paper:

Link to detailed story about demand for grants report: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/c...
March 22, 2025 at 2:14 AM
New: Railways ministry has sent at least 7 content takedown notices to social media platforms since Dec, targeting tweets and videos ranging from overcrowded Maha Kumbh Special trains to train vandalism incidents.

Shorter story in paper:

Detailed story: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/r...
March 21, 2025 at 2:35 AM
New: For the first time, the govt revealed that MIB’s blocking/grievance redressal inter-departmental committee has members from Press Council of India, FICCI and CII. Rule 14 of IT Rules 2021 allows for this.

Story in today’s paper:

Link to story: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/f...
March 20, 2025 at 3:38 AM
New: X/Twitter has once again taken on the Indian govt’s blocking regime and challenged the use of Section 79(3)(b) to issue blocking orders in Karnataka HC.

Shorter story in today’s papers:

Link to detailed story: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/x...
March 20, 2025 at 3:22 AM
New: Parliamentary panel recommended that MEA should accelerate its ongoing process to integrate the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) system with Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID, etc.

With Vrinda Tulsian

Shorter story in today’s paper:

Link to full story: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/1...
March 18, 2025 at 3:32 AM
New: At least 4 officials said that the ECI’s intention was to always make Aadhaar-electoral rolls linkage mandatory, as reflected in the language of Form 6B, Form 6.

With Abhishek Angad
Ed: @binayak.bsky.social

Story in today’s paper:

Link to full story: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/c...
March 16, 2025 at 4:34 AM
New: The Centre has filed an appeal against the Bombay HC’s 2024 judgment that struck down the fact check amendment of IT Rules, 2021, as unconstitutional.

Shorter story in today’s paper with details from the SLP:

Link to full story: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/n...
March 14, 2025 at 2:42 AM
New: Cert-In found multiple security gaps in ICMR system.

Story in today’s paper.

Link to full story: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/s...
March 12, 2025 at 8:50 AM