Social media firms to create self-regulating body
Internet corporations like Meta, Twitter, and Google are planning a self-regulating body to address user concerns to counter the Indian government's content takedown requests.
In wake of the Indian government's requests for content takedowns and suggestions of building a Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC), internet corporations such as Google, Twitter, and Meta are planning a self-regulating global body to proactively deal with the issue.
First reported by Economic Times, the government first suggested the GAC in its draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021, and it caused significant resistance from the companies that would be affected.
The proposal for the new self-regulated body will be submitted for discussion with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) by next week.
It suggests that the panel be headed by either a retired chief justice or a judge of the Supreme Court or one of the high courts of the country. Other panellists will be drawn from the companies, plus one or two independent members as well as those directly appointed by the government.
The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), which represents over 470 Internet companies in India including Google, Meta and Twitter, has also suggested the creation of a self-regulating GAC in the past. Reportedly, the IAMAI is leading the effort to gain consensus among member companies for the current iteration proposed.