New Delhi: Worried about the growing financial divide between conventional and digital media, Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called for suitable compensation for the former.
Identifying fake news, algorithmic bias, artificial intelligence (AI) and fair compensation as the four critical challenges that news media is facing, Vaishnaw called for greater accountability and fairness from the Tech world.
Speaking at an event organised by the Press Council of India to mark National Press Day, Vaishnaw highlighted the shift in mode of news consumption worldwide and said that traditional media is incurring financial losses due to this change.
“The efforts made by the conventional media in creating content need to be fairly and suitably compensated,” Vaishnaw said.
Flagging the threat posed by fake news, Vaishnaw said that platforms don’t verify information posted online, because of which “false and misleading information” is flooding the internet.
“The rapid spread of fake news is a big threat not only to the media because it undermines trust but it’s also a big threat to democracy,” he stated.
The minister proposed revisiting the ‘Safe Harbour’ provision, which shields social media intermediaries like Meta, X, Telegram from liability for user-generated content.
“With our diverse society, we have to be extra careful. Our country has many sensitivities which do not exist in the countries where these platforms originate. Therefore, if the circumstances are different, shouldn’t there be different metrics for the platforms? Shouldn’t there be more responsibility on the platforms?” he argued.
Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 allows platforms to enjoy immunity against legal prosecution for content posted by users. If the ‘Safe Harbour’ clause is removed or altered, these platforms will be accountable for user content.
Vaishnaw also warned that algorithms used in digital platforms prioritise content to maximise engagement by amplifying sensational or divisive narratives.
“In a country as diverse as India, misinformation and such algorithmic bias can have serious social consequences which we have seen in multiple instances. This approach in my opinion is irresponsible and dangerous for our society,” Vaishnaw observed.
About the risks of AI, Vaishnaw expressed concern over ethical and economic implications of generated content.
“AI models today can generate creative content based on vast datasets they are trained on. But what happens to the rights and recognition of the original creators who contributed to that data? Are they being compensated or acknowledged for their work? This is not just an economic issue; it is an ethical one too,” he noted.
The minister appealed to all stakeholders to engage in open debates and collaborative efforts to address these challenges.