The subject of Information Technology law is as dynamic as the field of Information Technology (“IT”)  itself.  Rapid  advancements  in  Information  Technology  necessitate  adapting  the  existing  laws  or  creation  of  new  laws  to  regulate  the  cyberspace  and  at  the  same  time  allow  it  such  freedom  as  is  essential  to  harness  its  full  potential  for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  Information  Technology  law  regulates  not  only  our  actions  in  the  cyber  space  but  also  when  we  use    computers or internet or communication devices such as cell phones in our offline actions vis a vis  persons,  entities  or  any  property  .  IT  has  expanded  its  horizons  in  the  last  few  decades.  Its  significance has broadened from a mere facilitator of information dissemination to a powerful means  of  communication,  exchange  of  ideas  through  social  media  &  social  learning.  An  apt  example of this in the year 2011 is the Anna Hazare campaign which became a highlight point on  facebook  wherein  more  than  one  lac  followers  joined  the  movement  through  facebook11Kapil Ohri, “ How powerful is Anna Hazare on Facebook and Twitter?”,afaqs,Aug 18,2011, . Censorship  of  Internet  was  a  highly  debated  and  discussed  topic  when  Google  and  Facebook amongst others, were sued for allegedly hosting offensive content on their websites and a Delhi Court  ordered  22  websites  to  remove  the  objectionable  content  from  its  sites2.  These  service  providers  faced  both  civil  and  criminal  cases  in  different  matters for hosting offensive  content which  brought  issues  such  as  censorship,  due  diligence  and  filtering  to  the  fore  front. This survey will discuss  the  recent  developments  in  cyberlaws  ,  in  particular,  the  recent  decisions  passed  by  the  Indian  Courts  to  interpret  and  elucidate  the  extant  cyberlaw.  Before case  laws  discussed,  this  survey  provides  a  brief  summary  of  the IT  Act,2000  ,  particularly  the  recentamendments made in the IT Act,2000 and the recent rules framed under the Act.

IT Act,2000 and Recent Amendments in the Act

The  Indian  Information  Technology  law  is  governed  by    the  IT  Act,  2000  which  received  the  President’s assent on 9 June, 2000. The IT Act, 2000 is based  on the Model of Law on Electronic Commerce  adopted  by  the  United  Nation  Commission  Of  Trade  Law  by  Resolution  of  General  Assembly  of  United  Nations(UN). The  IT  Act  is  applicable  to  the  whole  of  India  and applies  in  case  an  offence  or  contravention  is  committed  outside  India  by  any  person  irrespective  of  his/her nationality, if  the act amounts to an offence or contravention and involves computer or computer  systems  or  network  located  in  India. The    IT  Act  was  enacted  to  provide  legal  recognition  for  transactions  conducted  through  e-communication  and  to  facilitate    e-filing of documents with the government  departments. The third objective mentioned in the Preamble of the said Act is to amend the  Indian Penal Code Act 1860, Evidence Act, 1872, Banker’s Books Evidence  Act,  1891,    RBI  Act,  1934.The  IT  Act,2000  contains  13  Chapters  &  90  Sections  &  2 Schedules.  The  First  Schedule  was  substituted  by  the  IT  (Amendment)  Act,  2008  that  provides  list  of  documents  which  the  IT  Act,2000  excludes  from  its  ambit  of  application  viz. Power  of  Attorney , trust, bills and contracts of sale of immovable property.The Second Schedule of the IT Act, 2000 is also substituted by the IT (Amendment) Act, 2008 to describe  the  electronic  signatures  &    procedures  for  its  affixation, which  will  comprise  legally  valid  means  of  authentication  under  IT  Act,  2000  that  the  Central Govt.  is  empowered  to  prescribe under Section 3A.

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