Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Business

India sets up govt panel to hear social media content moderation complaints

FILE PHOTO: Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram logos and stock graph are seen displayed in this illustration taken October 4, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

The Indian government on Friday announced amendments to its information technology (IT) rules that will apply to social media companies, in a move likely to be seen as a reining in of big tech firms.

Under the amended rules, which will come into effect from Oct. 28, a government panel would be formed to hear complaints from users about content moderation decisions of social media platforms.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has had strained relations with many big tech companies, and New Delhi has been tightening regulation of firms such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Tension over social media content decisions has been a particularly thorny issue in India with companies often receiving takedown requests from the government or removing content proactively.

Social media firms are already required to have an in-house grievance redress officer and designate executives to co-ordinate with law enforcement officials.

Under the amended rules, the companies would be required to acknowledge complaints from users within 24 hours and resolve them within 15 days or 72 hours in case of an information takedown request.

In June, the government had issued draft changes to the IT law that would require companies to "respect the rights accorded to the citizens under the constitution of India" and proposed setting up a government panel.

India's government is concerned that users upset with decisions to have their content taken down do not have a proper system to appeal against those decisions and that their only legal recourse is to go to court.

"A number of (technology) Intermediaries have acted in violation of constitutional rights of Indian citizens," the government had said in June, without naming any company or specific rights.

The government panel will comprise a chairperson and two full time members, of which two will be independent members.

(Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Toby Chopra, William Maclean)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.