Why IT minister thinks India needs to urgently make laws to ‘regulate’ Netflix, Amazon Prime, Facebook, Instagram and other OTT/social media platforms – Times of India

IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has called for stricter regulations to combat the spread of vulgar content on social media platforms. Highlighting the urgent need to strengthen existing laws governing OTT platforms, the minister said that everyone should come to a consensus on the matter.

Absence of editorial oversight

During a parliamentary session on November 27, Vaishnaw drew a comparison to traditional media, where editorial checks and balances ensure accountability in the dissemination of information, expressing concerns about the lack of such editorial oversight on these platforms, leading to the proliferation of inappropriate content.
“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,” he said while addressing a Parliament Question during the ongoing session of the Lok Sabha.
Emphasising the need for robust measures to address this issue, he noted that due to the absence of such editorial oversight, social media has also become a space for uncontrolled expression, which often includes vulgar content.

Vaishnaw urged consensus on stricter laws

highlighting the disparity in cultural sensitivities between India and the countries where these platforms originated, Vaishnaw urged the Parliamentary Standing Committee to take up this important matter issue as a priority.
“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 more stricter and he urged everyone to come to a consensus on this matter,” he said.
“There should be societal consensus on it, along with stricter laws to address this challenge,” the minister added, expressing the government’s intention to implement more stringent rules to curb the spread of vulgar content.