Social media platforms must counter fake info: Minister

Social media platforms must safeguard societal trust and cannot remain neutral when misinformation, deepfakes and synthetic content threaten democratic institutions, Minister for IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the ‘New Economy Forum’, an event hosted by international news agency Bloomberg in Singapore.

The minister reiterated that social media companies operating in India must respect the Constitution, the legal framework, and the country’s social and cultural diversity. “Platforms must understand and respond responsibly to the societal context and sensitivities of the country in which they operate,” Vaishnaw said.

He cautioned that “trust between citizens and institutions is the foundation of any society and digital distortions are weakening that trust”. There was now an unchecked influence of social media, including deepfakes, synthetic content and rapidly amplified rumours, he added.

Social media platforms must take responsibility for the content they host, ensuring it does not harm individuals, the minister said. On India’s growing digital governance, he explained that the country follows a techno-legal approach, combining legal accountability, user protection and technological tools.