NEW DELHI: Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said user consent must be mandatory for “all synthetically generated” content and called on digital platforms to take proactive steps to curb cyber fraud.Speaking at the Third Annual Storyboard18 Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) Conclave 2025 in New Delhi, Vaishnaw said, “Platforms must take responsibility of what they are publishing. Times have gone when a platform could say that they are responsible for the content. Those times have gone because the platforms have themselves changed from being pure platforms to becoming hosts to the world. They must take the responsibility for the harmful content which is hosted by them.““Social media platforms must share revenue in a fair way with content creators… including creators sitting in far-flung areas, influencers, professors… There has to be a fair share of revenue with people creating content,” Vaishnaw said.“There has to be user consent for all synthetically generated content…platforms must take proactive action on cyber fraud,” he added.Emphasising the importance of trust in democratic systems, Vaishnaw said, “Human society is built upon trust and institution. When human beings created the social structures. They created so many institutions beginning with the institution of family, a social identity, judiciary, media, legislature and a democratic way of coming together and deciding things.”“All these institutions were built on one fundamental premise. The premise of trust,” he noted.“And that basically means that diff arms of the society, different institutions within the society and the individuals interacting with those institutions. They believe that institutions work on certain principles which are based upon trust,” he said.“Mutual trust defines the entire core of the institution,” the Union minister added.Warning that this foundation is under strain, Vaishnaw said, “The way the world is emerging today, that core tenet of trust is under threat. That threat is coming from so many different angles, deepfakes which can make you believe in things which have never happened anywhere.”“Disinformation barrage which can cause a sense of distrust, which doesn’t exist in real life. Creating synthetically generated photos and videos which have absolutely no relation with reality. And all that content when it reaches the common citizen. They start questioning the very basic structure of the society. And this is a big threat that every country including India is juggling with these issues now,” he added.Earlier, DNPA Chairperson and Manorama Online CEO Mariam Mammen Mathew opened the conclave, saying artificial intelligence and rapid shifts in the digital ecosystem are fundamentally reshaping how news is created, distributed, discovered and monetised.Speaking on the theme she said, “Transformation of Media in the Age of Artificial Intelligence is at a critical juncture as AI, evolving data governance norms, shifting platform economics and changing audience behaviour redefine digital journalism.”The DNPA Conclave 2026 brought together policymakers, media leaders and industry experts to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of news, governance and digital innovation. As a key industry platform, the conclave featured curated panel discussions and expert-led sessions examining emerging trends, addressing shared challenges and outlining a forward-looking roadmap for India’s digital media ecosystem.Discussions focused on the evolving regulatory environment governing digital communications and how policy frameworks can balance innovation with consumer protection and industry growth in an AI-driven era. Sessions also explored how artificial intelligence is transforming newsroom workflows, content creation, distribution strategies and audience engagement across platforms.The conclave further examined where audiences are turning for credible information, how trust can be built and sustained, and what constitutes the new public square in a fragmented, platform-led media landscape. The impact of regulatory changes on various stakeholders was also discussed, including who stands to benefit, who bears the costs, and how the ecosystem can remain competitive and inclusive.