All social media platforms but Twitter submit IT rule compliance report
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New Delhi: Amid a tug-of-war between the Centre and Twitter over the Toolkit controversy, the Information Technology Ministry said that except for the micro-blogging site, all other major social media platforms have submitted their new IT rule compliance status.
The major social media intermediaries such as Koo, ShareChat, Telegram, Linkedin, Google, Facebook and WhatsApp have shared the information as required by the new IT rules.
Such information includes the names of their chief compliance officer, nodal contact persons, and grievance officers.
The micro-blogging site, Twitter, on Thursday night has informed the Centre that it has appointed a nodal officer who will double up as the grievance officer but has not sent the details of the Chief Compliance Officer to the Ministry yet.
According to the new rules of the IT act by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), all social media platforms are required to appoint compliance officers in India, set up grievance response mechanisms, and takedown content within 36 hours of a legal order.
The designated officers in these important social media companies should also be employees of the company and residents of India.
The Government of India had earlier slammed the company for not following the new rules of the IT Act by Twitter.
Expressing concern over freedom of expression in a statement issued by Twitter, the government had told the company that it is the responsibility of the Government of India to protect freedom of expression in India and not to any privately beneficial, foreign institution like Twitter.
The Centre had introduced the new IT rules in February which stated that all social media platforms, having more than 50 lakh registered users, get categorised as large social media platforms. The rules direct the social media platforms to appoint a grievance redressal mechanism as part of a larger grievance redressal mechanism, active monitoring of content on the platform, monthly compliance reports for Indian users and self-regulation mechanisms.