Facebook, Google representatives depose before parliamentary panel on issue of social media misuse

Facebook and Google officials here Tuesday deposed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on the issue of misuse of social media platforms.

The panel chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had asked the officials of the social media sites to appear in-person on the issue.

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While from Facebook its country public policy director Shivnath Thukral and general counsel Namrata Singh deposed before the panel, Google was represented by its country head (government affairs and public policy) Aman Jain and director (legal) Gitanjali Duggal.

The agenda of the parliamentary panel meeting is to safeguard citizens' rights and prevent the misuse of social/online news media platforms.

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.

But Chairman Shashi Tharoor conveyed to Facebook that its officials will have to appear in-person since the parliament secretariat does not allow any virtual meetings.

The Parliamentary Committee on IT will also summon representatives of YouTube and other Social Media Intermediaries in the coming weeks over the issue.

Facebook and Google representatives were called days after Twitter officials deposed before the panel.

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.