Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav on Saturday highlighted several important challenges faced by the news media. The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister has called for greater accountability and fairness from Big Tech. Speaking at an event organized in Delhi on the occasion of National Press Day, the Union Minister expressed concern over several issues related to fake news and algorithms.
Misleading news spreads quickly
Union Minister Vaishnav said that information posted on online platforms is not verified. Due to this, false and misleading information has spread rapidly across all platforms. Ashwini Vaishnav called on online platforms and Big Tech to counter misinformation and protect democracy.
Traditional media is facing financial stress
The Union Minister said that news consumption is rapidly moving towards digital platforms. Another challenge is to provide fair compensation through platforms for content created through traditional media. Due to this traditional media outlets are facing financial stress.
Fake news is a major threat to democracy
Along with this, the Union Minister said that the rapid spread of fake news is not only a major threat to the media, as it undermines trust, but it is also a major threat to democracy. Vaishnav has also proposed revisiting the ‘safe harbour’ provision, which shields social media intermediaries like Meta, X, Telegram from liability for user-generated content. The Union Minister argued that this provision, developed in the 1990s, would no longer be appropriate given the wide reach and impact of digital media.
Special care has to be taken
With this he said that we have to be more careful with our society than before. Our country has many sensitivities which those countries do not have. Where this platform originates from. So if the circumstances are different, shouldn’t there be different criteria for the platform? Shouldn’t there be more responsibility on the platform?
Algorithms promote sensational news
Union minister Vaishnav warned that algorithms driving digital platforms often prioritize content that exaggerates sensational or divisive narratives. He claimed that he posed a danger to society. Solutions are needed to balance engagement with ethical considerations.
There could be serious consequences
He said that in a diverse country like India, misinformation and such algorithmic bias can have serious social consequences. We have seen in many examples. In my opinion this approach is irresponsible and dangerous to our society.
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