Facebook responds to Centre’s social media guidelines, to ‘carefully study new rules'

The government on Thursday announced sweeping regulations for social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter as well as OTT players such as Netflix, requiring them to remove any content flagged by authorities within 36 hours and setting up a complaint redressal mechanism with an officer being based in the country.

The guidelines also make it mandatory for platforms such as Twitter and WhatsApp to identify the originator of a message that authorities consider to be anti-national and against the security and sovereignty of the country.

Responding to the same, Facebook spokesperson on Thursday evening said, "Facebook is committed to people’s ability to freely and safely express themselves on our platforms. The details of rules like these matter and we will carefully study the new rules that were just published" [sic]

IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said concerns have been raised over rampant abuse of social media platforms and spread of fake news. "Social media companies are welcome to do business in India, and empower Indians...We welcome criticism and dissent... but it is important that users of social media are given a proper forum for resolution of their grievances in a time-bound manner," Prasad said. 

The rules require the significant' social media intermediaries to follow additional due diligence including the appointment of a chief compliance officer, a nodal contact person, and a resident grievance officer. All three officials will have to be residents in India.

Significant social media companies will also have to publish a monthly compliance report disclosing details of complaints received and action taken, as also details of contents removed proactively. Rules related to social media will be administered by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, while those related Code of Ethics and procedure and safeguards in relation to digital media will be administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

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(With PTI inputs)