Published 14:12 IST, August 31st 2020
'Don't want corporate America dictating India’s democracy': Sacked Jha slams Facebook
Suspended Congress leader Sanjay Jha criticised Facebook over alleged data manipulation, stating that Corporate America should not ‘dictate’ Indian politics.
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Suspended Congress leader Sanjay Jha on Monday criticised social media giant Facebook over alleged data manipulation, stating that Corporate America should not ‘dictate’ Indian politics.
Congress has been alleging a nexus between the BJP and Facebook ever since reports indicating ties between the social media platform and the ruling party in India came to the fore last month. The Opposition party had also written to tech-giant Mark Zuckerberg after a foreign media report alleged that Facebook India had favoured the BJP in contrast to its 'anti-hate speech' rules. Slamming the tech-giant and the BJP, Sanjay Jha said. ‘No political party should indulge in data manipulation.’
Even if you are a BJP supporter on Twitter, please do speak up against #Facebook intervening in Indian politics.
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) August 31, 2020
We don’t want Corporate America dictating India’s democracy. No political party should indulge in such manipulation.
As the Facebook row began to catch heat, Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi also accused the BJP of funding Facebook to manipulate data. The Rajya Sabha MP alleged that the digital platform hides economic downfall, Coronavirus tally and Chinese incursions, but pushes ‘fake narratives’ by the Central government because it receives ‘big bucks’ from the ruling party.
Imagine a digital platform which will not allow you to see economic downturn, growing joblessness, students distress, Covid numbers, China incursions but will push the #ActOfGod fake narrative as an agenda because they get big bucks from political party in power. #Facebook
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) August 31, 2020
READ | Amid Political Row, Facebook Says Platform Non-partisan, Will Remove Content That Violate Standards
Congress writes to Mark Zuckerberg again
Claiming that WhatsApp has been allowed by Mark Zuckerberg's India Team to be 'appropriated for hate speech,' the Congress wrote its second letter to the Facebook CEO within a fortnight. Citing a report by Time Magazine, the Congress General Secretary wrote to Zuckerberg highlighting that there is evidence of biases and a quid-pro-quo relationship of Facebook India with the ruling BJP.
Furthermore, the Congress claimed, "The WhatsApp platform used by millions of Indians has been willingly allowed by its team to be appropriated for hate speech and the consequent of India's fabric of social harmony."
Congress has sought Zuckerberg's reply demanding to know the steps taken by the social-media giant to investigate the aforementioned matters. It has also informed, through the second letter, that the party will pursue 'legislative and judicial actions' to ensure that a foreign company cannot continue to cause 'social disharmony' in the country for its 'private profits'.
14:12 IST, August 31st 2020