Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has called on social media platforms to take comprehensive and proactive measures to ensure child safety, protect citizens from online harms and establish effective grievance redressal mechanisms.Emphasising the importance of online safety for future generations, Vaishnaw said social media platforms must take all necessary steps to safeguard children’s mental and physical health, as well as the overall well-being of society.He stressed the need for greater algorithmic transparency and stronger safeguards to ensure that users, particularly children, are not exposed to inappropriate or harmful content. He also highlighted serious online threats, including digital arrest scams, and said platforms must take effective measures to mitigate such risks and ensure the safety of citizens.The minister further underlined the need to give citizens a stronger voice in addressing grievances arising from social media platforms. He pointed out that when users face serious harm through content or activities on these platforms, their existing options are largely limited to approaching the police or seeking legal recourse through courts.”There has to be a good, very effective mechanism by which the citizens get voice to address their grievances,” Vaishnaw said, stressing that platforms must put in place accessible and effective systems through which citizens can raise complaints and seek redressal.He said the government has repeatedly raised these concerns in Parliament and communicated them to social media companies, urging them to take concrete steps to strengthen citizen grievance mechanisms.Responding to a question on whether the government was considering removing the safe harbour provision for social media companies, Vaishnaw said the nature of the social media ecosystem and the internet had changed significantly.Referring to his statements in Parliament, the minister said social media platforms could no longer remain passive and must assume greater responsibility for the harms taking place in the online environment.He specifically called on platforms to take responsibility for child safety, women’s safety and the growing threat of digital arrest, along with other forms of online harm affecting citizens.Vaishnaw reiterated that social media companies must move beyond their earlier approach and adopt proactive measures to prevent harm, rather than merely responding after incidents occur.”Unlike the past, they must take proactive steps to make sure that our society is safe,” he said.The minister’s remarks underline the government’s emphasis on greater accountability of social media platforms, stronger online safety measures, algorithmic transparency and accessible grievance redressal systems in response to emerging digital threats.His remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of Meta over allegations that advertisements on its platforms, particularly Instagram, promoted or facilitated access to Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The issue has drawn the attention of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), triggering regulatory scrutiny and investigations.Most recently, the Delhi Police Special Cell registered an FIR over the alleged circulation of child sexual abuse material on Meta-operated platforms. The FIR, registered on October 8 under Sections 67 and 67B of the Information Technology Act, followed directions from the NHRC. The complaint reportedly flagged around 10 links, and the matter is under investigation.Follow Storyboard18 on Google for the latest and breaking brand marketing and industry updates, along with in-depth coverage of digital news. Stay informed with the latest perspectives only on Storyboard18.First Published on November 6, 2026, 14:42:11 IST
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