Digital platforms need to be accountable for children's safety and online content: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Ashwini Vaishnaw says digital platforms must ensure online safety and regulate AI content

Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that digital platforms must take responsibility for the content they host and ensure the online safety of children and all citizens.

Speaking at the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) Conclave, the minister said platforms need to “wake up” and understand the importance of protecting trust in institutions that society has built over thousands of years.

He warned that if platforms do not follow these responsibilities, they will be held accountable. He also said the nature of the internet has changed and companies must adapt to these changes.

Vaishnaw stressed the need to regulate AI-generated content. He said AI content should not be created using a person’s face, voice, or personality without their permission.

The minister explained that society is built on trust — whether it is family, social identity, the judiciary, media, or legislature. For example, the media gains trust by being unbiased, verifying information before publishing, and taking responsibility for what it reports.

However, he said this trust is now under threat, especially due to technologies like deepfakes, which can make people believe events happened even when they did not.

He urged digital platforms to cooperate and respect society’s demand for safer and more responsible online practices.