The Editors Guild of India has expressed concerns about the Data Protection Bill, saying that it could enable citizen surveillance and have a "chilling effect" on press freedom.

The bill, which is currently being debated in Parliament, would create a new data protection authority and set out rules for how personal data is collected, used, and stored. The Guild has said that the bill is "overbroad" and that it gives the government too much power to access and use personal data.

The Guild is particularly concerned about the bill's provisions on "reasonable security practices and procedures" and "lawful access." These provisions could allow the government to access personal data without a warrant, which could be used to target journalists and other critics of the government.

The Guild has also said that the bill's definition of "sensitive personal data" is too broad, and that it could be used to restrict the flow of information. For example, the bill defines "sensitive personal data" to include "information about political opinions," which could be used to restrict the reporting of political news.

The Guild has called on the government to make changes to the bill to address these concerns. In a statement, the Guild said that the bill "must be amended to ensure that it does not infringe on the fundamental rights of citizens, including the right to privacy and the right to freedom of speech and expression."

The Data Protection Bill is a complex piece of legislation, and there are a number of different perspectives on it. However, the concerns raised by the Editors Guild are significant, and they should be taken seriously. The government should not rush to pass the bill without addressing these concerns.

Impact on Press Freedom

The Editors Guild's concerns about the Data Protection Bill are particularly relevant to press freedom. Journalists often need to collect and use personal data in order to do their jobs. For example, journalists may need to collect the names and contact information of sources, or they may need to access personal records in order to investigate a story.

The Data Protection Bill could make it more difficult for journalists to collect and use personal data. For example, the bill's provisions on "reasonable security practices and procedures" and "lawful access" could make it more difficult for journalists to access personal data without a warrant. This could make it more difficult for journalists to investigate stories, and it could also make journalists more vulnerable to surveillance by the government.

The Data Protection Bill could also have a "chilling effect" on press freedom. This means that the bill could discourage journalists from reporting on sensitive topics, for fear of being targeted by the government. The bill's definition of "sensitive personal data" is too broad, and it could be used to restrict the reporting of political news, corruption, and other important issues.