The Centre on Thursday said that “public platforms” such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Google were being abused to send out fake news, to propagate provocative content, and revenge porn. Minister for Law and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad said the digital world has to be accountable and responsible for the content, reported PTI.

“I am a great supporter of creativity and freedom but there are also social obligations...” Prasad said at an event of the Internet and Mobile Association of India in New Delhi. “But the digital world has to be responsible, accountable and most importantly sensitive. For the sake of earning money, is it right to show what we are showing – this question has to be asked.” He urged companies to not allow their platforms to be misused.

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He said that revenge porn has become a problem in India as the online platforms were being abused. “I told [Google CEO Sundar] Pichai also, when you go to YouTube there are many positive narratives like old songs, speeches, enlightening digital material available...but see some of the other parts...the way YouTube is being abused,” Prasad said.

The Union minister said that India will be open to advanced technologies unlike China. “India is a democracy and they [China] closed their doors, we won’t and we should not,” he said. Prasad urged people to enjoy the “success of Digital India”.