Govt eyes curbs on misleading AI ads targeting children & women: Ashwini Vaishnaw

NEW DELHI: The government is examining fresh measures to curb misleading advertisements and harmful content targeting children and women on digital platforms, union minister for electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Responding to a question from a member, Vaishnaw said ensuring the safety of children and women across social media platforms has become an urgent priority as the digital ecosystem expands rapidly.

“The safety of children on all social media platforms and the safety of women against misleading advertisements is a very important point. We have to take all steps required to ensure the safety of our children and the entire society on digital platforms, whether it is AI-generated material or content posted by publishers on social media platforms,” the minister said.

He added that discussions on stronger safeguards are underway and noted that there is “practically unanimity” among members of the consultative committee on the need for additional measures to protect citizens online. Vaishnaw also acknowledged the work of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, which recently examined the issue of online safety in detail.

Separately, in a written reply in Parliament, minister of state for electronics and IT Jitin Prasada said the government’s approach is aimed at building an “open, safe, trusted and accountable internet” for all users, particularly children.

He noted that existing legislation such as the Information Technology Act 2000 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 already places obligations on social media platforms to prevent the hosting or sharing of unlawful or harmful content. Platforms must also remove such content within hours once notified by authorities.

Under the DPDP framework, additional safeguards are in place for children’s data. These include mandatory verifiable parental consent before platforms process the personal data of minors, along with restrictions on tracking, behavioural monitoring or targeted advertising directed at children.

In another response in Parliament, the government also flagged rising concerns around technology-enabled crimes against women, including cyberbullying, harassment and the misuse of deepfake technology.

To address these risks, amendments to the Information Technology Rules 2021 notified in February 2026 require social media platforms to deploy technical measures to prevent the creation and spread of unlawful AI-generated content. Platforms must also clearly label synthetic media that is permitted on their services.

As AI-generated content becomes easier to produce and distribute, policymakers are now weighing additional steps to ensure the digital world remains not just innovative, but safe for its most vulnerable users.