Parliamentary I-T committee to hear Facebook officials on Sep 2 on preventing its misuse

Taking action on Facebook row, Parliamentary Standing committee on Information Techlogy is set to meet on September 2 and listen to Facebook executives on prevention of misuse of social media platforms, as informed by Lok Sabha secretariat. Committee has also summoned representatives of Ministry of Electronics and Information Techlogy over same issue, on September 2. Meanwhile, two BJP MPs - Rajyavardhan Rathore and Nishikant Dubey have written to Speaker Om Birla claiming that Shashai Tharoor has flouted parliamentary rules regarding Facebook row by discussing  process with media instead of committee members.

BJP MPs write to Lok Sabha Speaker on Facebook row; allege Shashi Tharoor flouted rules

Parliamentary standing committee on I-T to hear FB officials 

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Congress hints at parliamentary probe

Earlier on Sunday, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor- who heads Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Techlogy, has hinted that social media giant may be pulled up. Moreover, Congress has written to Facebook seeking a probe into officials after Facebook's selective practice of applying 'anti-hate speech' rules was reported in Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Meanwhile, Facebook's Ankhi Das has filed a complaint against threats received to her and a Chhattisgarh journalist has filed an FIR against Das for promoting hate-speech. BJP, on or hand, has denied any affiliation with Facebook, slamming Congress' allegations.

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What does WSJ report claim?

American newspaper Wall Street Journal claimed that BJP's Telangana MLA T Raja Singh had often made communal and incendiary speeches that were posted on Facebook, clashing with company's hate speech rules. report claims that inspite of posts allegedly violating Facebook's hate-speech rules and qualifying as dangerous, Facebook India's top public-policy executive Ankhi Das had claimed that punishing violations by BJP would 'dam company's business prospects in India'. Apart from Singh, three or BJP leaders or Hindutva groups were allegedly flagged by Facebook for hate-speech.

'Cant allow manipulation of our hard-earned democracy': Rahul Gandhi on Facebook row

report furr points out that Facebook has faced issues to launch its telecommunications service - Free Basics in 2016 from Modi government, as it violated net neutrality. report furr stated that while some of Singh's posts were removed by Facebook, social media giant has demoted Singh's account to a n-verified, ufficial account without a blue tick. Citing preferential treatment by Facebook, WSJ points to removal of thousands of Congress-linked Pakistan military posts and several BJP-linked fake news ps prior to Lok Sabha elections. While Facebook publically disclosed deletion of Congress-linked accounts, it allegedly did t disclose removal of BJP-linked posts.