Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw delivered a clear message to social media behemoths on Thursday: share the wealth fairly with those who create the content driving your profits. From seasoned journalists and legacy media outlets to influencers, rural creators, professors, and researchers, everyone uploading valuable material deserves a transparent slice of the revenue pie.
‘Platforms thrive because of the content from news professionals, remote creators, influencers, academics, and more,’ Vaishnaw asserted. He advocated embedding fairness in revenue distribution as a cornerstone of India’s digital ecosystem.
The call for equity arrives as the government ramps up oversight on online platforms. Paralleling this, MeitY’s proposed updates to the 2021 IT Rules aim to combat the surge in deepfakes and deceptive AI content.
Key provisions mandate explicit labeling of artificially generated material with indelible metadata. Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Snapchat – those serving 50 lakh-plus Indian users – must ensure AI content is flagged prominently.
Visual identifiers will cover no less than 10% of video or image frames, and audio segments require marking in their initial 10%. Tampering with metadata invites penalties, classifying it as negligence under IT laws.
Vaishnaw stressed that genuine revenue transparency will invigorate India’s content creation sector, fostering innovation and sustainability. With stricter norms on horizon, platforms must rethink exploitative models to support the very creators powering their growth.