Sam Pitroda believes that platforms like Google and Facebook should take responsibility of their content

Sam Pitroda is known as the Father of Indian Telecom and technology revolution. Pitroda, a telecom inventor and policy maker, has emphasized that online platforms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter should take the responsibility of the content that is posted on their websites.While speaking to a gathering of Pune International Centre members at the College of Engineering in Pune, he noted that individuals around the world coordinating under the Association for Accountability and Internet Democracy (AAID) in Paris have asked for better moderation of content on social media networks. “Twenty of us from all over the world have come together and we want big companies like Facebook and Google to take responsibility for their content,” Pitroda said. He went on to add that “If newspapers publish incorrect information, they will apologize. On the other hand, Google and Facebook won't even remove the content. So, this has been bothering us for quite some time”.According to the report by Times of India, Pitroda indicated that there are a lot of incorrect news articles posted online and that social media is filled with misinformation, gossip and vendetta. Pitroda pointed out that people are encouraged to add to the misinformation because ‘it gets them more hits.’ He focused on the need for a new way of thinking in the digital age, pointing out that India is most suited to build the new design.“The world can only be redesigned by Indians but we are not ready to take on a task like this because our house is not in order. Today, the world is waiting for India to take the lead,” said Pitroda. He concluded by adding that “People want family values, love, compassion — all of which India has and also it has costumes, colour, food, diversity.”