Modi govt acknowledges existential threat posed by Big Tech to digital news media in India
PM Modi
Narendra Modi government has acknowledged the threat posed by Big Tech, particularly Google and Meta to digital platforms of legacy news publishers. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently called for greater accountability and fairness from Big Tech, highlighting the four critical challenges facing news media.
On the occasion of National Press Day, the Union Minister said fake news, algorithmic bias, artificial intelligence, and fair compensation are the main issues in front of the media today.
His comments are like music to the ears of India's digital news media sector which has been raising the matter of the monopolistic practices of Big Tech for the past few years. They have been trying to inform policymakers about the existential threats facing the media sector, particularly at the hands of Google and Meta.
They say that there is an urgent need for regulations to safeguard the interests of the digital news industry and help it survive. The media industry says that these companies profit from the content produced by Indian news organisations. However, they are not compensated adequately for their efforts. This has led to a question mark on the very existence of digital news media in India.
Right now, they are at the mercy of these companies who dictate their terms irrespective of the problems facing the industry. There is a lack of transparency and no room for negotiation or revenue-sharing. The Indian media industry is forced to toe the line without having their concerns heard.
Several countries have intensified probes into the anti-trust practices followed by Big Tech. Australia, Europe, the UK, Canada, and the USA have been at the forefront of this fight. The governments there are contemplating strict regulations and frameworks against these giants to ensure fair competition.
In India, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has started investigations into the practices of these companies. However, a detailed report is still awaited.
