New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) directed Tuesday social media platforms Facebook and Google to comply with new IT rules and follow rules of the country. The panel led by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor was hearing the views of the companies about safeguarding the rights of the citizens and how to stop the misuse of social media. The committee had asked the officials of the social media sites to appear in-person on the issue.
From Facebook its India public policy director Shivnath Thukral and general counsel Namrata Singh deposed before the panel. Google was represented by its India 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. However, Tharoor conveyed to Facebook that its officials will have to appear in-person. This is because 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.
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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.