Need to make existing laws more stringent to curb vulgar content on social media: Vaishnaw
New Delhi: The government is mulling stringent laws to check vulgar content on social media posts and other platforms like over-the-top or OTT, saying that such platforms are required to appoint grievance officers and set up a mechanism for addressing user complaints. The statement comes at a time when users in all social media platforms either misuse the content to malign somebody's public image and blackmail in person or influence people at large with fabricated facts in some way or the other.
However, the government has urged social media platforms to be more proactive in content moderation, especially when it comes to harmful or illegal content, saying that such platforms should be more responsible for the content hosted on their sites, requiring them to take action against harmful material promptly. "There is a need to make existing laws more stringent laws to curb vulgar content on social media platforms," Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said amid din in the House on Wednesday.
“We are living in the era of social media and OTT platforms. However, the democratic institutions and traditional forms of the press that once relied on editorial checks to ensure accountability and correctness of content, have seen these checks diminish over time. Due to the absence of such editorial oversight, social media has become a platform for freedom of press on one hand, but on the other hand, it has also become a space for uncontrolled expression, which often includes vulgar content," Mr Vaishnaw said.
Apart from the public in general, governments also use social media to engage with citizens, share information, and deliver services as social media can be a powerful tool for governments to reach out to citizens in real time, and to make policy-making more citizen-centric. Acknowledging the distinct cultural differences between India and the geographies where these platforms originated, Mr Vaishnaw emphasised that the cultural sensitivities of India vastly differ from those of the regions where these platforms were created. "This makes it imperative for India to make existing laws stricter and he urged everyone to come to a consensus on this matter," he said.
The minister also urged the Parliamentary Standing Committee to take up this important matter as a priority. “There should be societal consensus on it, along with stricter laws to address this challenge” he said while responding to questions by BJP member Arun Govil about existing mechanisms to check telecasts of vulgar and sex-related content through social media platforms illegally.
Earlier, there were some editorial checks and it was decided whether something was right or wrong but those checks have ended. "Today, social media is a platform for freedom of press, but it is uncontrolled and there is vulgar content as well. There is a lot of difference between the culture of our country and the countries from where these social media platforms have come. I hope the Opposition can come on board and we can have a discussion on this," the minister added.
Earlier this month, Mr Vaishnaw highlighted some critical challenges facing the news media, calling for greater accountability and fairness. He also listed fake news, algorithmic bias, artificial intelligence and fair compensation as the top concerns. Now, the minister has also suggested that social media platforms should adopt a more self-regulatory approach, especially when it comes to preventing content that could harm the fabric of Indian society. "The intent is to strike a balance between free speech and responsible content moderation," he maintained.
