"Difference in culture; end of editorial check": Minister Vaishnaw on laws to curb vulgar social media content

New Delhi [India], November 27 (ANI): Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday called for stricter laws to curb the "vulgar content" in social media, stating that there was a difference in the culture of India and the countries these social media platforms have come from.
While replying to the question made by BJP MP Arun Govil during the question hour in the Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw said that the Standing Committee of Parliament should take up the issue and make strict laws on the same.
"There is a lot of difference between the culture of our country and the countries from where these social media platforms have come. So this kind of debate has been raised in a lot of other countries. So I would like the Standing Committee of the Parliament to take up this issue and strict laws are made regarding the same," he said.
Vaishnaw noted that the issue is due to the end of the "editorial check" made on the content, which has played a role in the "uncontrolled expression" of the vulgar content while providing freedom of the press at the same time.
"This topic is indeed very important. Today, the way editorial content used to be, the editorial check used to be done, whether something is right or wrong, a complete decision was taken about it, has ended. Today social media is a very big medium of freedom of the press on one hand, but at the same time, on the other hand, due to the end of that editorial check, it is an uncontrolled expression in which many types of vulgar content are also played. The existing law definitely needs to be strengthened further, and I would request a consensus should be formed on this," he said.
Meanwhile,the Lok Sabha on Wednesday was adjourned for the day amid a huge ruckus over the opposition's demand to discuss various issues, including the Adani indictment. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha was also adjourned for the day.
Earlier, the lower house was adjourned till 12:00 in the afternoon on the second day of the winter session of Parliament. After Union Minister Jitendra Singh's motion was passed, sitting in the chair, BJP MP Dilip Saikia announced that the lower house has been adjourned for the day till November 28 at 11:00 AM.
This comes after the opposition MPs gave notices to move an adjournment motion in both the lower and upper houses to discuss issues related to Manipur, the Adani indictment and the ongoing violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal. (ANI)