MUMBAI: No social media for kids. The Aussie house of representatives passed a bill yesterday imposing a ban against Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, SnapChat, X, Reddit from allowing kids under 16 from accessing these networking platforms. The onus has been put on social media to ensure that kids don’t use them; fines up to $33 million will be imposed on them if a kid’s profile is found active. The bill will now require senate approval which it most likely will get and social media will have a year to clean up their acts.
That was Down Under.
In India too, the government would like to bring social media under tight regulation.
While addressing a parliament question during the ongoing session of the Lok Sabha today, union minister of information & broadcasting, railways, and electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, once again highlighted the urgent need to strengthen existing laws governing social media and OTT platforms.
“We are living in the era of social media and OTT platforms. However, the democratic institutions and traditional forms of the press that once relied on editorial checks to ensure accountability and correctness of content, have seen these checks diminish over time,” he said.
He noted that due to the absence of such editorial oversight, social media has become a platform for freedom of press on one hand, but on the other hand, it has also become a space for uncontrolled expression, which often includes vulgar content.
Acknowledging the distinct cultural differences between India and the geographies where these platforms originated, Vaishnaw emphasised. “The cultural sensitivities of India vastly differ from those of the regions where these platforms were created," he said.
This makes it imperative for India to make existing laws more stricter and he urged everyone to come to a consensus on this matter.
The minister also urged the parliamentary standing committee to take up this important matter issue as a priority. “There should be societal consensus on it, along with stricter laws to address this challenge” he said.
Will Indian society agree?
