Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has emphasised the need for stronger legislation to address obscenity, misinformation, and harmful content on social media. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the minister outlined the government’s ongoing efforts to tighten regulations under the IT Act and amend intermediary guidelines to make platforms more accountable.
Vaishnaw highlighted that the rise of deepfakes, misinformation, and slanderous material poses significant societal risks. To tackle these issues, the government is revising intermediary rules to ensure platforms take proactive measures in identifying and addressing such content. The changes aim to place significant responsibility on social media companies, compelling them to moderate content more effectively.
He also underscored the development of an institutional framework for the digital economy, which includes recently enacted legislations like the Telecom Bill and the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill. Vaishnaw stressed the importance of a global consensus on the regulation of digital platforms, urging collective action to enhance accountability mechanisms.
In response to concerns raised by lawmakers about difficulties in addressing defamatory online content, Vaishnaw assured that the new regulations would simplify the process for victims seeking redressal. He called for cross-party collaboration to develop a robust legal framework that balances freedom of expression with societal safety​.
These steps are part of the government’s broader strategy to curb the misuse of digital platforms while safeguarding their constructive societal contributions.
