Parliament: IB minister Vaishnaw urges stricter laws for social media

Union minister for information and broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday, 27 November, stressed the urgent need for more stringent laws to address the proliferation of vulgar content on social media platforms.

Speaking during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw urged the Parliamentary Standing Committee to prioritise this issue and called for a consensus across political lines to strengthen the legal framework.

"Earlier, there were editorial checks that decided what content was appropriate or not. Today, with social media operating as an unchecked platform for freedom of expression, we are witnessing an alarming rise in vulgar content," Vaishnaw said amid a noisy session in the House.

The minister’s remarks came in response to BJP MP Arun Govil's question about mechanisms to combat illegal telecasts of obscene and sexually explicit material on social media.

Govil, who played the role of Rama in the Ramayana TV serial, raised concerns about the efficacy of existing laws in preventing the misuse of these platforms.

Vaishnaw acknowledged that while social media has democratised communication, it has also become a hotbed for unregulated and harmful content. He argued that the absence of the kind of oversight that traditionally existed in legacy media has created a vacuum that must be filled with robust regulatory measures.

"We need a clear consensus to amend and strengthen the laws governing this space. Social media's rapid evolution has outpaced our current legal framework, leaving significant gaps in our ability to ensure accountability and content moderation," he added.

The minister's comments underscore a growing debate on the balance between regulating digital platforms and safeguarding freedom of expression.

Of course, the various political parties have a considerable social media presence, and the IT Cell of the BJP also liaises with 'independent' social media influencers — with BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh having made a policy decision of it as well. What sort of accountability will be applied here is of interest too, surely, but it did not come up in the conversation in Parliament.

Critics argue that overregulation of social media in general could stifle legitimate discourse, while proponents of stricter laws emphasise the need to protect societal norms and prevent the misuse of these platforms.

Several countries have already introduced stringent rules to address similar concerns. For instance, Germany’s Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG) mandates swift removal of illegal content, while the European Union’s Digital Services Act imposes accountability for content shared on the hosting tech platforms themselves.

India, too, recently amended its IT Rules to bring intermediaries under greater scrutiny; but experts argue that further refinements are needed to keep up with the rapid technological changes.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the debate on curbing harmful content without infringing on freedoms remains pivotal, with potential implications for India’s cultural value system as well — especially as regards what constitutes ‘vulgarity’ and who will decide that.