Press Act may cover online, foreign papers

NEW DELHI: The government is trying to bring foreign publications and online editions of newspapers under the ambit of the PRB (Press & Registration of Books) Act. For this purpose, the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry is in talks with the department of information technology (IT) for amending the PRB Act 1867, according to sources.

Mandatory registration of online editions of newspapers is among the possibilities being considered by the government. The revised law is also likely to handle title issues. “The new Act will be an enabling law and not a regulatory one,” an official from the I&B ministry said. The Act is, however, expected to keep anti-national activities in check, the official added.