03 April 2025 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis
1. Digital child abuse, the danger of AI-based exploitation
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
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Context |
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Growing AI Threat in Creating Harmful Content
- A global organization had previously warned about AI’s ability to create life-like images of children.
- A foundation monitoring internet safety reported a rise in such content on public websites.
- The issue requires urgent action to update laws and protect children from online threats.
New Laws in the United Kingdom
- A proposed law will make it illegal to create, possess, or distribute AI tools that generate harmful content involving children.
- The legislation will also prohibit the possession of instructional material that guides individuals in using AI for such purposes.
- This represents a shift from punishing only the offender to also targeting the tools used for these crimes.
- Unlike older laws, which focus on the individual’s actions, the new law addresses AI-generated content directly.
- It allows authorities to stop offenders before they commit crimes.
- It aims to reduce the mental and emotional harm caused by such material.
- The law also fills a legal gap by covering AI-generated images of fictional children, which were not previously included in legal definitions.
India’s Current Situation
- Cybercrimes against children have significantly increased, as reported in national crime data.
- A government portal recorded 1.94 lakh incidents related to child exploitation online by April 2024.
- A national agency collaborates with an international organization to track online threats, sharing nearly 69.05 lakh reports with local authorities.
- These statistics highlight the serious threat to children’s safety in the country.
Existing Indian Laws and Their Limitations
- The IT Act 2000 penalizes individuals for publishing or transmitting harmful material involving children.
- Laws under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act prohibit using children in explicit content and criminalize its storage.
- Other provisions make it illegal to distribute or display obscene materials.
- However, current laws do not specifically address AI-generated content, creating a legal gap.
Steps to Strengthen India’s Laws
- Authorities need to update laws to address AI-related risks.
- A national advisory body has recommended changing the term ‘child pornography’ to ‘child sexual abuse material’ (CSAM) for a broader legal scope.
- Defining ‘sexually explicit’ in the IT Act would help identify and block harmful content more effectively.
- Expanding the definition of ‘intermediary’ under the IT Act to include online service providers would increase accountability.
- New legal amendments should consider the risks posed by advanced technology.
- India should support a proposed international agreement to prevent the misuse of digital technology for crimes.
- A new law, currently being developed to replace the IT Act, should include provisions to tackle AI-generated harmful content, similar to the proposed U.K. law.
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Practice Question: Discuss the challenges posed by AI-generated Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and suggest legislative measures India can adopt to address this emerging threat. (150 Words /10 marks) |
2. The reciprocal tariff dilemma
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 9)
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Context |
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Fair and Reciprocal Plan
- The U.S. government has introduced the ‘Fair and Reciprocal Plan’ to address imbalances in trade relationships.
- It aims to counter non-reciprocal trading practices through equivalent tariffs on trading partners.
- The assessment considers tariffs, discriminatory taxes, subsidies, exchange rate manipulation, and restrictive regulations.
U.S. Share in Global Exports
- In 2010, 12% of global exports were sent to the U.S., rising slightly to 13% in 2019 and 13.4% in 2022.
- About 87% of global exports occur between countries excluding the U.S.
- Some nations, such as Canada and Mexico, export over 75% of their goods to the U.S.
- Many countries, particularly in Africa, send less than 5% of their exports to the U.S.
Tariff Comparison
- The U.S. administration seeks to impose reciprocal tariffs where partner countries have higher tariffs on American goods.
- Data from 2022 shows that in 27 countries, tariffs on U.S. exports are lower than the U.S. tariffs on their goods.
- This makes reciprocal tariffs ineffective in these cases, as imposing them could harm U.S. trade interests.
- Major U.S. trading partners like Canada, the EU, Japan, and the U.K. would be excluded from reciprocal tariff increases.
Potential Tariff Adjustments
- Among 130 countries identified for tariff adjustments, 57 require tariff increases of less than 5%, including China and India.
- In 15 of these cases, the increase needed is less than 1%.
- The remaining 73 countries would require more than a 5% increase in U.S. import tariffs to achieve parity.
- Raising tariffs on key export partners could negatively impact U.S. businesses by making American goods less competitive.
Trade Diversion Risks
- High reciprocal tariffs could lead affected countries to redirect their exports to other markets.
- The pandemic experience showed that businesses can adapt quickly to external shocks and find new trade partners.
Alternative Policy Recommendations
- Instead of imposing retaliatory tariffs, affected nations should focus on removing internal and external trade barriers.
- Enhancing regulatory cooperation with non-U.S. trading partners can promote smoother trade relations.
- Digital services exports have grown faster than other goods and services, highlighting the need for policy focus on digital trade.
- Preferential trade agreements that address regulatory issues can significantly boost trade, particularly in digital services.
- Policymakers should prioritize long-term trade reforms over short-term retaliatory measures to strengthen global trade.
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Practice Question: Examine the implications of the ‘Fair and Reciprocal Plan’ on global trade patterns and its potential impact on India’s economic interests. (250 Words /15 marks) |
Read more- 02 April 2025 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis
