India media groups challenge privacy law, warning consent rules could endanger sources and investigations at court

Consent requirement under challenge

The Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) told the Supreme Court that requiring journalists to get consent from people they write about could amount to pre-censorship and risk newsroom closures. The group says the requirement is ill-suited to investigations.

Risks to investigations and sources

The DNPA argues that a journalist who must notify an investigation’s subject and seek consent could give that person a chance to destroy evidence or intimidate witnesses. The group’s filing, cited by Reuters, identifies consent as a central concern.

The law will also allow New Delhi, from next year, to require organisations handling personal data to provide information it requests. The DNPA says the provision could force newsrooms to reveal sources, including information held by reporters or informants in privileged communications.

Group seeks limits on government power

The association described the information-demand power as “nakedly unguided” and urged the court to quash it. Its filing says the authority could reach privileged communications held by journalists or informants.

The dispute centres on how the privacy law applies to reporting, particularly investigative journalism. The media groups say the consent and disclosure requirements could undermine their work and endanger confidential sources.