'Respect the country's culture': Ashwini Vaishnaw's clear message to Netflix, YouTube and Meta

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday asserted that global digital platforms such as Netflix, YouTube and Meta should operate strictly within the constitutional and legal framework of India, while also respecting the country’s cultural context.

Addressing a press conference on the India AI Impact Summit-2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the minister, while expressing concerns over digital content and emerging technologies, said that any platform operating in India should adhere to its Constitution and laws. “Whether it is Netflix, YouTube or Meta, all platforms must function within the legal framework of the country in which they operate,” he said, emphasising that multinational companies must recognise that cultural sensitivities vary across nations.

Vaishnaw said what may be considered acceptable in one country could be prohibited in another, and vice versa. Therefore, he stressed, it was crucial for global companies to understand and respect the cultural context of the countries where they offer their services. He added that most companies strived to align their operations with local norms and regulations.

On the issue of deepfakes, the minister expressed serious concern over the growing threat posed by manipulated digital content. He called for stronger regulatory measures to address the misuse of artificial intelligence technologies. “Deepfakes are a problem that is growing day by day. There is a clear need to protect our children and society from the harms they can cause,” he said.

Vaishnaw said that the government had already initiated discussions with industry stakeholders to determine what additional regulations might be required beyond existing measures. He also pointed out that the Parliamentary IT Committee had studied the issue and made observations, which would contribute to shaping future policy.

“Certainly, we need much stronger regulations on deepfakes, and we will build consensus within Parliament to bring in stronger safeguards,” he added.

Regarding age-based content regulation, the minister said that many countries had recognised the importance of implementing age-based restrictions to ensure that children accessed appropriate content. He said the government was currently in discussions with social media platforms to determine the most effective mechanisms for implementing age-based controls.

The government, he added, remains committed to ensuring that digital platforms operate responsibly, safeguarding users while fostering innovation within India’s constitutional and cultural framework.