Facebook, Google appear before Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT over misuse of social media platforms - Get FULL DETAILS here

On Tuesday, the senior officials from Facebook and Google deposed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on the issue of the misuse of the social media platforms. In the upcoming weeks, the committee will also call YouTube and other social media intermediaries.

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According to an ANI report, the officials from these companies appeared before the committee to put forward their views on safeguarding the rights of the citizens and prevention of the use of social media platforms and online news platforms. In addition to this, a special emphasis was also given to the security of women in the digital space.  

From Facebook its country public policy director Shivnath Thukral and general counsel Namrata Singh deposed before the panel. In case of Google, the tech giant was represented by its country head (government affairs and public policy) Aman Jain and director (legal) Gitanjali Duggal as per a PTI report. The meeting of the committee began under the chairmanship of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

Earlier, Facebook representatives had informed the parliamentary panel that their company policy does not allow their officials to attend in-person meetings because of their COVID-related protocol. The Facebook officials decided to appear online as per PTI. However, Tharoor turned down Facebook's request to join the meeting virtually and conveyed to the company that its officials will have to attend the meeting in person as the parliament secretariat does not allow any virtual meetings.

According to PTI, In the coming weeks, the Parliamentary Committee on IT will also summon YouTube and other social media platforms to discuss over the issue. The communication between Google and Facebook took place days after Twitter officials deposed before the committee. 

As per the PTI report, in the last meeting, several members of the panel had categorically told Twitter that the rule of land is supreme not the social media platform's policies.

On June 20, the country permanent mission at the United Nations clarified that India's new IT rules have been designed to empower the ordinary users of the social media. Furthermore, these rules were finalized after the government held consultations with the civil society and other stakeholders in 2018.