ES सूचना प्रौद्योगिकी अधिनियम, 2000 की प्रमुख विशेषताओं को लिखिए।

 

Salient Features of the Information Technology Act, 2000

The Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) was enacted to provide a legal framework for electronic governance, cybercrime prevention, and data protection in India. Below are its key features:

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1. Legal Recognition of Electronic Transactions

• The IT Act recognizes electronic records and digital signatures as legally valid.
• Facilitates online contracts, banking, and e-commerce transactions.

2. E-Governance and Digital Signatures

• Allows electronic filing of documents with government agencies.
• Digital signatures and electronic authentication methods are legally valid.

3. Cyber Crimes and Penalties

• Defines and penalizes cyber offenses such as:
  • Hacking (Section 66)
  • Identity theft and phishing (Section 66C, 66D)
  • Cyber terrorism (Section 66F)
  • Publishing obscene material online (Section 67)

4. Data Protection and Privacy

• Section 43A: Mandates protection of sensitive personal data by companies.
• Section 72: Punishes unauthorized disclosure of personal information.

5. Regulation of Cyber Cafés and Intermediaries

• Cyber cafes and internet service providers (ISPs) must maintain user records.
• Intermediary liability (Section 79): Limits the responsibility of platforms like Google, Facebook, etc., for user-generated content, provided they follow due diligence.

6. Electronic Governance (E-Governance)

• Section 4: Recognizes electronic records for filing applications and transactions with government offices.
• Enables paperless governance and online applications.

7. Establishment of Certifying Authorities

• Facilitates the use of digital signatures for authentication.
• Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) regulates digital signature certificates.

8. Cyber Appellate Tribunal (Now Merged with TDSAT)

• Initially set up to handle cyber law disputes.
• Later merged with Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

9. Amendments and Evolution

• 2008 Amendment:
  • Introduced Section 66A (Punishment for sending offensive messages, later struck down by the Supreme Court in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015)).
  • Recognized cyber terrorism (Section 66F) and introduced stricter penalties.
• IT Rules, 2021:
  • Strengthened social media regulations and data protection measures.

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Conclusion

The IT Act, 2000 is a crucial law that governs cybersecurity, e-governance, and digital commerce in India. It has evolved to tackle new-age challenges, including cyber crimes, data privacy, and online regulations.