Ashwini Vaishnaw pushes age-based social media curbs, calls for tougher deepfake laws
Notably, nations such as Australia, France and the United Kingdom have either brought in or proposed new laws to limit young people’s access to social media. These measures include stricter age checks and stronger parental consent rules aimed at improving online safety.
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said the government is considering provisions to introduce age-based restrictions and is holding consultations with several social media platforms on the matter. He also raised concerns about the growing threat of deepfakes, stressing that stronger regulations are necessary as the problem continues to escalate.
He added that discussions are currently underway to determine the most appropriate and effective course of action on these issues.
Vaishnaw categorically said that any company, be it Netflix, YouTube, Meta, or X, must adhere to the legal framework and the Constitution of India.
“Right now, we are in conversation regarding deepfakes, regarding age-based restrictions with the various social media platforms, and what is the right way, what is the right way to go," Vaishnaw said during a presser at the India AI Impact Summit.
"I think we need a much stronger regulation on deepfakes. It is a problem growing day-by-day. Certainly there is a need for protecting our children and our society from these harms. We have initiated a dialogue with industry on what kind of regulation will be needed beyond what we already have," he said.
Will build consensus in Parliament over this issue, says Vaishnaw
The IT Minister further said that the consensus over the issue would be built in the Parliament as well, adding that the parliamentary committee, too, has studied the issue of deepfakes in depth.
"We need much stronger regulations on deepfakes and we must definitely create that consensus within Parliament for creating those significantly stronger restrictions on deepfakes so society can be protected from these harms," the minister added.
Notably, nations such as Australia, France and the United Kingdom have either brought in or proposed new laws to limit young people’s access to social media. These measures include stricter age checks and stronger parental consent rules aimed at improving online safety.
Economic Survey proposes age-based rules
Now, India is considering similar steps. The government’s latest Economic Survey of India has suggested that age-based rules for using online platforms should be explored. The report highlights growing concerns about excessive screen time and digital addiction among children.
The Survey was presented in the Parliament of India last month. It recommended that technology companies should be made responsible for verifying users’ ages. According to the report, online platforms must play a stronger role in protecting children from harmful or addictive content.
"Policies on age-based access limits may be considered, as younger users are more vulnerable to compulsive use and harmful content. Platforms should be made responsible for enforcing age verification and age-appropriate defaults, particularly for social media, gambling apps, auto-play features, and targeted advertising," the Survey had said.