About the Event

As the world stands on the cusp of the 4^th industrial revolution, we are in a unique position to witness humankind begin its journey to the future on a digital highway. In the globalized and digitalized world, technological developments like 5G, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and surveillance will usher in an era that was only thought of as fictional by the mainstream. Technology has especially affected the functioning and operations of the media and entertainment sector.

In the last couple of years, the fields of media and entertainment have undergone transformative changes majorly driven by technological advancement. This has had major implications for legislators, policymakers, judges, advocates, lawyers, and students of law. For instance, freedom of speech and expression has extended from the physical format to digital and social media, giving rise to the hitherto unknown problems of fake news, online abuse, sponsored posts, harassment, etc. that have the public and private scuttling for measures to contain. It is believed that many such challenges will arise in the future. They are bound to evolve with the practice of law in courts. Even minor changes and developments can force one to ponder if our legal and regulatory systems are equipped to deal with such shifts.

It is evident that digitalization has opened up a world of opportunities for the media and entertainment industry. At the same time, it has threatened and disrupted the traditional methods giving way to emerging business and work models. Internet penetration has revolutionized e-commerce, brand building, public outreach, online streaming, etc. It has also brought certain issues to the forefront that include online trolling, surveillance, stalking, privacy rights, intellectual property rights, data theft, etc. These are some matters that have serious consequences and ramifications for almost all members of the general public. To address concerns related to users’ rights on digital and social media, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 have been framed in the exercise of powers under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

With the rise of predictive algorithms and artificial intelligence, we are witness to a post-human society where the lines between the physical and the digital sphere are blurry. Discourses and deliberations in this area are relatively new and still in their nascent stages of jurisprudential development. Needless to say, a continuous stream of innovations will demand regular updates and even pose arduous challenges for legal professionals.

This international conference organized by Bennet University provides a platform to explore legal complexities emerging from the interactions and interrelationships of media and entertainment sectors with the law while focusing on digitalization. The conference organized by Bennet University welcomes discussions, arguments, and submissions related to the identified sub-themes and other areas that are relevant and appropriate to the main theme. The conference encourages research with a critical or comparative approach.

Objectives of the International Conference

The conference organized by Bennet University shall explore what it really means to be a netizen with a digital personality that interacts with media and entertainment platforms and how the rights and duties are interwoven with Indian constitutionalism and legal regime. It offers an opportunity for discussions and debates – around constitutionality, legalization, and regulation – that are related to the theme of the conference. It aims at bringing all stakeholders together and deliberate on the latest developments, especially in the legal domain.

Sub-themes for the International Conference

• Critical analysis of laws related to mass communication, media, and entertainment.
• Right to privacy in the virtual world
• Digital Media and Surveillance
• Censorship in the age of digital media
• Law and ethics in media reporting
• Social Media’s growth and consequential challenges to cybersecurity
• Press and the freedom of information exchange and dissemination
• Cinematograph Act and recent amendments
• Critical Analysis of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021
• Regulating advertisements in the digital world
• Regulating digital media vis-à-vis freedom of speech and expression
• Broadcasting and Licensing rights
• COVID-19 and contract enforcement in the media and entertainment industry
• Regulations for social media influencers and celebrity endorsements
• Changing dimensions of criminal law in the new age virtual world
• Any other topic directly or indirectly related to the main theme.

Brochure