Faced with disquiet among the media-watchers over "sting operations" using hidden cameras, the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry is considering a regulatory mechanism to protect the privacy of individuals. Still under consideration, the view firming up in the Ministry apparently favours the introduction of a clause to address "sting operations" in the proposed Broadcasting Bill.
A section of the media views "sting operations" as a legitimate way of showing the truth, but the Ministry plans to make a clear distinction between stories that amount to an "invasion of privacy" and those which expose corruption or have political implications.
The view gaining currency is that "invasion of privacy" cannot be condoned and the Government ought to have some mechanism to address such cases. However, "sting operations" which expose corruption and tell stories with political implications will be allowed, as any attempt to proceed against them would be seen as an effort to stifle the media.
The Ministry is particularly guarded in regulating "sting operations" as most constituents of the United Progressive Alliance had made a big issue of the Tehelka expose on defence scams.
Even as the Broadcasting Bill is under consideration, the Ministry has begun exploring the possibility of bringing "sting operations" under the ambit of the proposed regulatory mechanism after India TV beamed a couple of stories that many thought were more of an "invasion of privacy" and less of an "expose."
