Now, social media to come under scrutiny to ensure prohibition of indecent representation of women
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Women and Child Development has proposed amendments to Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (IRWA), 1986. The amendment proposes to expand the meaning of the word 'advertisement' in the bill to include its various 'digital and electronic forms or SMS, MMS'.
The IRWA has been enacted to prohibit indecent representation of women through advertisements, publications, writings, paintings, figures or in any other manner. Since the enactment of the Act, technological revolution has resulted in the development of new forms of communication, such as internet, multi-media messaging, cable television, over-the-top (OTT) services and applications e.g. Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Chat On, Snapchat, Instagram etc.
Keeping in mind these technological advancements, the WCD has decided to widen the scope of the law so as to cover such forms of media on one hand and to strengthen the existing safeguards to prevent indecent representation of women through any media form on the other. Hence, the IRWA Bill, 2012 was introduced in Rajya Sabha December, 2012 which referred the Bill to Department related Parliament Standing Committee for consideration.