S. Krishnan discussed free Speech and platform accountability DNPA Conclave 2026

At the DNPA Conclave 2026, S. Krishnan, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Secretary, spoke during a session on ‘The Regulatory Reset: Governing India’s Digital Communications in the AI Era’. He discussed how India aims to strike a balance between protecting free expression and ensuring accountability from digital platforms. Let’s take a look at some of the key takeaways.Freedom of Expression “Freedom of expression is subject to certain restrictions which are ingrained in Article 19(2) of the Constitution. Those grounds are very clear. So on those grounds there could be reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech. And the courts have repeatedly upheld that.”Importance of verified information “If you create the right kind of content, technology will help you amplify the right kind of message."Adherence to constitutional limits Krishnan emphasized that platforms operating in India must not go against constitutionally valid restrictions, adding that if they wanted to operate in India, they should abide by Indian laws.