'Social Media Firms Must Compensate News Outlets': Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Fake news, algorithmic bias, artificial intelligence and fair compensation are the four challenges before the media, spotlighted Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday on the occasion of National Press Day, vowing never to go back to the dark days of Emergency as witnessed during the Congress government.

"Let us begin with remembering the contribution of the press in our struggle for freedom from oppressive forces twice in the last century. First was the long-drawn battle to achieve freedom from British rule. And second was the fight to preserve our democracy from the dark years of Emergency imposed by the Congress government," said the Minister.

Mr Vaishnaw added that social media companies should adequately compensate news organisations for the content shared on their platforms.

The efforts made by conventional media in creating content need to be suitably compensated. The asymmetric relationship between the content creators and the platforms is also being debated all over the world," Mr Vaishnaw said. 

India, said the Minister, has a vibrant press and represents opinions on all sides of the spectrum.

"Some are very strong. Some centrist. And the mother of democracy houses as many as 35,000 registered daily newspapers. There are thousands of news channels. And a rapidly expanding digital ecosystem is reaching crores citizens via mobile and internet," said Mr Vaishnaw, crediting the investments in 4G and 5G networks which he said have propelled India to the forefront of digital connectivity with the lowest data prices globally.

The Minister pointed out four key challenges that the society faces due to the changing landscape of media and press.

The spread of fake news undermines trust in the media and poses a threat to democracy, said Mr Vaishnaw. During his address, Mr Vaishnaw raised a critical question on the rapid growth of digital media and the responsibility for the content published on these platforms. The concept of Safe Harbor, developed in the 1990s when the availability of digital media was limited to select users in universities and research institutes, provided immunity to platforms from being held accountable for user-generated content.

The Minister mentioned that globally, debates are intensifying over whether the Safe Harbor provisions are still appropriate, given their role in enabling the spread of misinformation, riots, and even acts of terrorism. "Shouldn't platforms operating in a context as complex as India adopt a different set of responsibilities? These pressing questions underline the need for a new framework that ensures accountability and safeguards the social fabric of the nation," he said.

Mr Vaishnaw highlighted the need for fair compensation for traditional content creators, addressing the asymmetry in bargaining power between digital platforms and conventional media. "The efforts made by the conventional media in creating content needs to be fairly and suitably compensated", he said.

Algorithms driving digital platforms prioritize content that maximizes engagement, incites strong reactions and thereby defines the revenue for the platform, said the Minister, adding that these often amplify sensational or divisive narratives.

"In a country as diverse as India, misinformation and such algorithmic bias can have serious social consequences which we have seen in multiple instances. This approach in my opinion is irresponsible and dangerous for our society. The Platforms must come out with solutions that account for the impact their systems have on our society," he said.

Addressing the challenges posed by AI systems, he emphasized the need to safeguard the intellectual property (IP) rights of original creators. "AI models today can generate creative content based on vast datasets they are trained on. But what happens to the rights and recognition of the original creators who contributed to that data? Are they being compensated or acknowledged for their work?" the Minister questioned. "This is not just an economic issue, it is an ethical issue too," he added.

Mr Vaishnaw urged stakeholders to engage in open debates and collaborative efforts to address these challenges, transcending political differences. He emphasized the importance of preserving the media's role as a strong pillar of democracy and building a harmonious and prosperous Viksit Bharat by 2047.