Addressing a packed hall in New Delhi at the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave 2024, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State, Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, spoke candidly about the establishments position on tackling big tech platforms and monopolies, deepfakes threat and AI and the absolute safety of digital Nagriks.
The MoS said that platforms and social media have “not been responsible behaviour demonstrators, which means they are irresponsible, essentially,” adding that the government takes the safety of digital Nagriks very seriously and platforms “cannot trespass.”
Read More: Adtech regulation a priority for Modi govt in third term: MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar
He shared his views again today in a LinkedIn post, highlighting a summons sent by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to Mira Chatt, YouTube’s Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy, in lndia, asking her to appear before them in person on 15th January, 2024, along with the list of channels and violations running on YouTube “portraying potentially indecent acts involving mothers and sons”. YouTube was asked to submit a list of all challenges and channels on YouTube running such content involving minors.
Sharing the image of the letter, Chandrasekhar reiterated that platforms and intermediaries must align their terms of use to Indian Law and ITs rules, and also must ensure they and their users comply with Indian Law and not trespass into unlawful content.
Read More: Fearing technology is like fearing the inevitable: Rajeev Chandrasekhar on AI
“There will be zero tolerance to any violations to this.”
“Together let’s keep the Internet Safe & Trusted for all Digital Nagriks.”
While addressing issues on OTT content regulation, the internet should not become a place where there is no law, said Chandrasekhar at the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave and Awards 2024 held earlier this week.
When asked if the IT Rules are far-reaching Chandrasekhar said, “Anybody who characterizes the IT Rules as being arbitrary or far reaching or censorship has not read the IT Rules well.”
“If you read the rules, you will find that the rules are absolutely clear, simple and consistent, guardrails to protect the consumer. What we laid down are 11 types of unlawful content that should not be on any platform because they are noy just unlawful as per the IT act but also unlawful under the Criminal Code. For example, CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material). Nobody can argue that prohibiting child sexual abuse material on any platform or the internet is far reaching,” he said.
“Just because you are on the internet doesn’t mean the laws of the land will not touch you,” the minister added.