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Vaishnaw Demands Platforms Take Direct Responsibility for Hosted Content

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has called for a fundamental shift, asserting digital platforms must take direct responsibility for the content they host. He emphasized that protecting citizens, especially children, online is now the platforms' core duty. The Minister also urged platforms to rethink revenue-sharing policies to ensure fair compensation for original content creators. Furthermore, he demanded an "inflectional change" requiring consent for any use of a person's likeness in AI-generated synthetic content.

Key Points: Platforms Must Take Content Responsibility: Ashwini Vaishnaw

  • Platforms must ensure citizen safety
  • Fair revenue sharing for creators needed
  • Consent required for AI-generated content
  • Non-adherence will make platforms responsible
3 min read

Platforms must take responsibility for hosted content, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw calls for platforms to ensure user safety, fair revenue sharing, and consent for AI-generated content.

"Platforms must take the responsibility for the content that is hosted by them. - Ashwini Vaishnaw"

New Delhi, February 26

Union Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw has called for a fundamental shift in how digital platforms operate, asserting that they must now take direct responsibility for the content they host.

Speaking at the DNPA Conclave, the Minister emphasised that the changing nature of the internet requires platforms to prioritise the safety of all citizens.

The Minister stated that platforms must wake up to their role in protecting society.

"I will request that platforms must wake up, must understand the importance of reinforcing trust in the institutions which human society has created over thousands of years. Platforms must take the responsibility for the content that is hosted by them," he said.

"The online safety of children, the online safety of all citizens is the responsibility of the platforms. Non-adherence to these principles will definitely make them responsible because the nature of Internet has changed now," he added.

Talking about the fair revenue system for the content creators, Vaishnaw said, "I will request all the platforms to rethink their revenue-sharing policies because that is also one of the major concerns that the entire society today is raising. If this is not done voluntarily, then there are so many countries which have shown the path to get it done in a legal way."

The Minister also noted that the growth of science and arts depends on respecting original work.

"The people who created copyrights, the people who created the original content, the society grew on the basis of that intellectual property. And if that intellectual property is not well respected and not fairly compensated, then the growth of the society, the growth of science, the growth of technology, the growth of arts, the growth of literature, that will all get stunted and the human growth which has happened over past thousands of years will get delayed, will get muted, will get stunted. That incentive for creating the original work and getting that fair compensation and fair appreciation from sections of the society, from the entire society, must be respected, must be valued," he said.

Furthermore, he also requested the platforms to "rethink their revenue-sharing policies because that is also one of the major concerns that the entire society today is raising. If this is not done voluntarily, then there are so many countries which have shown the path to get it done in a legal way."

The Minister also called for an inflectional change regarding AI-generated content.

"Synthetic content should not be generated without the consent of the person whose face or voice or personality has been used to create the content. Time has come to make that big inflectional change. And I will request the platforms to cooperate with this human society's basic need and the society which is today asking for this change has to be respected."

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
I agree with the Minister on the revenue sharing part. As a small content creator, it's frustrating to see platforms take such a huge cut while we do all the work. Fair compensation is essential for the creative ecosystem to thrive in India.
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Aman W
The point about AI-generated content is crucial. Deepfakes are becoming a serious problem, especially during elections. Platforms need to implement strict verification and consent mechanisms. We can't let technology undermine trust in our society.
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Sarah B
While the intent is good, I hope the implementation is balanced. There's a fine line between holding platforms responsible and over-regulation that stifles free expression. The guidelines need to be clear, transparent, and not prone to misuse.
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Vikram M
Absolutely correct sir. These global platforms operate here but often ignore our cultural sensitivities and laws. They must respect the institutions of our country. Jai Hind!
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Kriti O
As a parent, I fully support this. It's terrifying what kids can stumble upon online. The platforms have the technology and resources to filter harmful content. They've avoided responsibility for too long. Time for them to wake up, indeed.

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