Control and delete

News: Recently, the Government has planned to set up a panel that can overturn content moderation decisions made by social media platforms. The idea has been proposed as an amendment to the IT Rules 2021.

The IT Rules, 2021 will be amended to constitute one or more appellate committees which will have the final word on any content moderation issue facing a social media platform.

If a social media user feels aggrieved on an order of the platform’s grievance officer, he/she can appeal.

The government’s objectives

At present, the internet access continues to rapidly expand in India. The social media platforms are acting as influencing machines. They are filled with influencers of all hues and shades.

Therefore, the government is committed to ensure an open, safe, and trusted and accountable Internet for its users.

Problems in the government’s decision

The mechanism will allow the Government to tighten its grip on messaging on social media intermediaries.

There would be concern over fairness in the decisions of a government-appointed committee. For example, the aggrieved user can be a government entity or a ruling party member. The Government can try to suppress the dissent on the social media platform.

This will add another layer of complexity to the problematic IT rules.  It would be another lever of Government control. The IT rules have already given a leverage to the Government over digital channels in the name of “soft-touch oversight mechanism”.

This can have troubling implications for freedom of expression and right to information.

Way Forward

Social media platforms should be regulated. But a government committee is not the right answer. The regulation should come from the social media industry itself.

Source: The post is based on an article “Control and delete” published in the “The Hindu” on 04^th June 2022.