Internet and Technology Can Be Harmful, Need to Be Regulated: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday said that internet and technology, unless regulated carefully through the prism of safety and trust, have the power to harm users. He added that guardrails have to be carefully developed without over-regulating innovation.

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Ensuring Safety of Users on Digital Platforms

The Minister of State for IT and Electronics said that while artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the biggest inventions of recent times, the government is committed to ensuring the safety of users on digital platforms. He highlighted that India is one of the largest connected nations in the world with almost 850 million Indians already using the internet and 1.2 billion estimated to do so by 2025-26.

The Issue of Deepfakes

In a video message at the DATE with Tech event, the minister also drew attention to the issue of deepfakes. He said, "You have heard recently our Prime Minister call out the risks of deepfakes. We have all been aware, especially some of us from my generation, who always believe that technology is a great enabler and is a force for good, but the recent events in the last 10 years have also shown that unless regulated carefully and through the prism of safety and trust, internet and the broader technology ecosystem can also be a power for harm and criminality."

Balancing Regulation and Innovation

The minister noted that the government is focusing on developing guardrails carefully without over-regulating innovation. He said, "Therefore, guardrails carefully developed without over-regulating innovation is something that we are focusing on, working with the rest of the world."

UPI's Success in India

Chandrasekhar highlighted the success of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as an example of how technology can be harnessed for the public good. He said, "The safety and trust of all online users digital nagriks is a policy imperative. India is an extraordinary case study of the deployment of technology for the public good."

India's Technology Prowess

The minister said that India's technology prowess has gone beyond the traditionally strong areas of IT and ITES, and now covers all-new, critical and emerging areas of technology. He said, "Today, we are living in an era where every aspect of the digital economy, innovation economy, semiconductors, micro-electronics, quantum, high-performance computing, AI...every area of technology and innovation economy has an Indian flag with one, two or more Indian startups that are doing very well."

India's Presence in Shaping the Future of Technology

Chandrasekhar added that India has established its presence in every area shaping the future of technology. He said, "Be it next-generation AI chips, cybersecurity platforms...any of the areas that are important in terms of growth and opportunity and in shaping the future of technology, we have India presence there firmly."

In conclusion, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasized the need for careful regulation of internet and technology to ensure the safety and trust of users. He highlighted India's success in harnessing technology for the public good and expressed confidence in India's presence in shaping the future of technology.