Topic 1: Objectives of Information Technology Act 2000

OBJECTIVES OF IT ACT 2000

There is no doubt that the technological changes have brought many benefits, but because of its low cost and ease of use, it has also brought with it certain disadvantages such as fraudulent scams, hacking, introducing viruses etc. around the globe. Hence, to facilitate e-commerce, the need for legal changes has become an urgent necessity. For this purpose, the Government of India enacted a new law in the year 2000 known as the Information Technology Act, 2000. IT Act 2000 is the Indian Cyberlaw.
Information technology law governs the processing and dissemination of information electronically. These are paper laws for a paperless environment. These are technology-intensive laws to control and safeguard electronic transactions in the electronic medium.

Objectives of the Act

Cyberlaw is the field of law dealing with computers and internet including such issues as intellectual property rights, freedom of expression and free access to information. The passage of the information technology act in October gave a fillip and legal sanctity to efforts to spread e-commerce in the country.
The objectives of the Act are:
1. To grant legal recognition to transactions carried out by means of electronic data interchange and other means of electronic communication commonly referred to as “electronic commerce” in place of the paper-based method of communication.
2. To give legal recognition to Digital Signature for authentication of any information or matter which requires authentication under any law.
3. To facilitate electronic filing f documents with government departments.
4. To facilitate the electronic storage of data.
5. To set up licensing, monitoring and certifying authorities to oversee issues like jurisdiction origin, authentication, privacy protection and computer crimes.
6. To establish Cyber Regulation Appellate Tribunal for hearing appeals against decisions of the adjudicating officers.
7. To facilitate and give legal sanction to electronic and transfers between banks and financial institutions.
8. To give legal recognition for keeping books of account by Bankers in electronic form.
9. To support the admission of computer evidence in courts and arbitration proceedings.
Thus, the objectives of the Act include enabling or facilitating the use of e-commerce and providing equal treatment to users of paper-based documentation and to users of computer-based information. The aim of act is to promote efficient delivery of government services by means of reliable electronic records.

Scope of the Act

The Information Technology Act, 2000 has been made effective from 17th October 2000. It extends to whole of India and in certain circumstances, it had extra territorial operation. It is also applicable to any offence or contravention committed outside India by any person irrespective of his nationality (Sec 1 (2)). But the offence or contravention should involve a computer, computer system or computer network located in India (Sec 75).