Social media platforms like Facebook, Sharechat and Twitter on Wednesday said they have adopted a ‘Code of Ethics’ under which these intermediaries will establish a communication channel that will interact with Election Commission of India (ECI) officials to swiftly deal with fake and provocative content, among other pressing issues related to the Lok Sabha elections, which are scheduled to kick off from April 11.
“Social media intermediary members of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) have adopted a voluntary ‘Code of Ethics’ for general elections 2019,” industry body IAMAI said in a statement.
Under this, they have voluntarily undertaken to establish a high priority communication channel with the nodal officers designated by ECI, it added.
“Participants including BIGO, ByteDance, Facebook, Google, Sharechat and Twitter have also agreed to take action on content reported by nodal officers, expeditiously, in accordance with the law,” IAMAI said.
Chief election commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora appreciated the proactive steps taken by the industry association and its members to ensure transparency in paid political advertisement by maintaining a repository of political advertisement with information such as the sponsor, expenditure and targeted reach of such content in an aggregated manner.
Participants have built the technology to upload the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) certification. Participants have also committed to taking action on paid advertisements violating MCMC certification requirement under notification by the ECI.
“IAMAI will act as the liaison between the participants (intermediaries) and ECI. Collectively, IAMAI and member participants of Code of Ethics remain committed to ensuring free, fair, and ethical electoral process,” the association said.
Most of the issues addressed by the Code of Ethics form part of the recommendations made by the 10-member committee, chaired by senior deputy election commissioner Umesh Sinha. The panel submitted its report in January 2019.
For instance, the panel suggested IAMAI to be asked to setup a monitoring committee to periodically study actions of intermediaries with regard to their conduct in election related issues.
This is besides its recommendation on these platforms to commit towards facilitating transparency in political advertisements by clearly labelling them.
Another one is where the committee recommended that intermediaries should work with the ECI to evolve a notification mechanism by which commission can notify the relevant platform of potential violations of Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. ECI would appoint an official to coordinate with the intermediaries on this.
Yet another one is the recommendation by the panel that social media platforms should open a special grievance redressal channel for ECI and appoint teams during elections to interact as well as take quick action upon getting an order from the commission.