Delhi Assembly summons: Facebook India seeks two weeks time to appear

New Delhi: In response to the summons to appear before the Committee on Peace and Harmony of the Delhi Assembly, on Monday, Facebook India has sought an extension by two weeks.

The social media giant was asked by the Committee to send a senior representative to testify on November 2, over the February 2020 riots in the national capital.

Public policy head of Facebook India sought the extension to enable the organisation to be represented by senior representatives with the requisite knowledge to provide the Committee with the data required.

"It becomes incumbent on yourself to ensure the appearance of the appropriate senior representative(s) before the Committee on the date and time requested," read the letter sent to the Deputy Secretary of the Committee on October 29.

The team has also requested the Committee to share the questions it intends to ask, "or at least the topics of inquiry in advance" so that Facebook's representatives are "equipped with relevant information".

The Delhi Assembly panel in its summon dated on October 27 said: "Since Facebook has lakhs of users in the NCT of Delhi, Athe committee has decided to hear the views of representative(s) of Facebook India.

"The committee has observed and is of the opinion that social media has a very important role in curbing the spread of false, provocative and malicious messages, which can fan the violence and disharmony."

The Committee was constituted after the Northeast Delhi riots took place between supporters and opponents of the controversial -Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The time of the clashes coincided with former US President Donald Trump's maiden trip to India. Over 50 people had died in the riots.

Several viral posts over social media, mainly Facebook, have been accused of adding fuel to the fire.

(Based on IANS feed with minor edits)