Union minister for electronics and information technology (MeitY) Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that the government has no intention of curtailing press freedom through the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) framework, and called for an open discussion with editorial leaders of news outlets to voice their concerns.
The law is based on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Puttaswamy v. Union of India that recognised the right to privacy as a fundamental right. Vaishnaw added that the DPDP framework was created after a consultation that lasted more than a year, in which newspapers, television channels, and other media took, part along with IT and other industry stakeholders. “It was clearly explained [what] the provisions of DPDP [were]. Nowhere does it infringe upon freedom of the press.
Asked whether the framework could be amended to protect journalistic work, Vaishnaw said that the government was “open to suggestions and act accordingly”. “The SC’s judgment has been, in a sense, converted into law by Parliament,” the minister told reporters. No doubt about it,” he said.
The minister’s remarks come as the Supreme Court is hearing a petition by the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), which represents 21 news publishers, challenging provisions of the DPDP Act, 2023, and the rules framed under it in November 2025. HT is also a member of the association. “Journalistic freedom has been guaranteed by the Constitution. There is no intention to affect journalistic practices. The privacy law fully maintains journalistic freedom which the Constitution guarantees.
The privacy law has been amended as such,” Vaishnaw said.
