Google extends support to India's new IT guidelines: Sundar Pichai

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has extended the tech major's support for the new regulatory frameworks by the Government of India. Pichai said that the company is committed to complying with the local laws and will engage constructively with the government.

The remarks were made by Pichai during a virtual conference with select reporters from the Asia Pacific. Addressing the conference, Pichai said, "It's obviously early days and our local teams are very engaged, we always respect local laws in every country we operate in, and we work constructively. We have clear transparency reports, when we comply with government requests, we highlight that in our transparency reports."

Pichai further highlighted Google's similar attempts across the world to adapt to the evolving regulatory frameworks around technology and its uses. He said, "we fully expect governments rightfully to both scrutinize and adopt regulatory frameworks. Be it Europe with copyright directive or India with information regulation etc, we see it as a natural part of societies figuring out how to govern and adapt themselves in this technology-intensive world."

Pichai also spoke on the importance of free and open internet. He pointed out that Google advocates for the same and engages constructively with regulators around the world to enable this for its users.

The remarks come in response to the new information technology rules by the GOI for social media companies operating in India. In effect from Wednesday, the new laws are aimed at making digital platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram and Google more accountable for the content hosted on their platforms.