DPDP Act, 2023
Data Fiduciary Obligations and Journalism
A separate concern raised alongside the RTI issue is that DPDP Rules classify certain data processing activities of investigative journalists and media entities as falling under "Data Fiduciary" obligations, exposing them to compliance duties and penalties designed for commercial data processors.
- The DPDP Act, 2023 defines a "Data Fiduciary" as any entity that determines the purpose and means of processing personal data
- Penalties under the Act for data breaches can extend up to ₹250 crore for serious violations
- Critics argue that applying commercial data-fiduciary compliance standards to news-gathering activity could have a chilling effect on investigative reporting involving personal data of public interest
● Tracked since March 06, 2026 · last seen August 07, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
See it in today’s brief.
Daily current affairs with every static concept explained in place.
Read the daily brief