New Delhi [India], February 4 (ANI): Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday sought consensus of the Rajya Sabha members to make strict social media rule, saying the "government is ready" on the matter.
To a question raised by Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Jharna Das Baidya during Question Hour, the Minister said, "If the house has consensus, we are willing to provide even stricter social media rules".
"At this point, we are working within the framework of the Constitution. But yes, going forward we need to make the social media more accountable," Vaishnav said when asked by Baidya "will the Minister be pleased to state whether the government has formulated any rules or guidelines for the social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook." Replying to the action taken by the government against the companies in the event of non-adherence to rules by them and the steps being taken especially in the wake of defiance being exercised by Twitter, Vaishnav said Vaishnaw "protecting women" is a priority of the government.
While giving a reply to BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi's question on Bulli Bai app in Rajya Sabha, the Union Minister said, "It was important to make social media accountable. It was important and a commitment of his government to ensure that women were made safe everywhere including on the cyberspace." The question Modi had asked was with regards to the auctioning of women on social media via various websites including the Bulli Bai app.
The Minister further elaborated that whenever the government spoke about bringing stronger laws for cyberspace and spoke about strengthening social media guidelines it faced a backlash from the opposition parties who termed it as an attempt to hamper freedom of expression and speech.
Auctioning of women from the Muslim community was an issue raised by Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi in a number of letters written to the IT minister following which action was taken by the police both in Mumbai and Delhi.
Bulli Bai app was put up in the Github open platform which auctioned Muslim women by putting up their images.
"Investigation was initiated as soon as any issue was brought to notice of the government. Action has been taken swiftly on all points that came to the fore. Whenever government takes any step to make social media accountable, the Opposition alleges an attack on freedom of speech, which is not true. We have to strike a balance," said the Minister.
He further said that social media has to be made accountable to make them safe spaces and that there are five significant social media intermediaries as mandated by the government.
"All significant social media intermediaries are obliged to publish their monthly compliance reports," the minister said.
