CBI to probe data leak via social media; Kerala's WhatsApp hartal will be probed: Minister

New Delhi: Central Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad informed the Rajya Sabha that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will enquire into the leakage of data about Indians by Facebook. He also informed that the Centre would probe into the hartal that happened in Kerala in response to a call via WhatsApp.

The WhatsApp hartal in Kerala was raised by BJP MP, and former state president of BJP, V Muraleedharan. He mentioned in the Rajya Sabha that the incident on 16 April in Kerala of a hartal being called via WhasApp and subsequent violence misusing the hartal was a case of abusing social media. However, KK Ragesh, a CPM member intervened to say that it was discovered that right wing forces were behind the call.

The said that the Centre has taken seriously the use of social media as a tool against the strategic interests of India and economic stability, and steps will be taken to put an end to that.

He added that the Centre has asked Facebook to protect users from fake messages, and to find a technical solution in compliance with the law of the country. The IT Act of 2000 will be made binding on all social media. Companies should make sure that all messages can be traced and their origins detected. All social media companies should appoint officers based in India to handle complaints of this kind.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien blamed that it was by using social media that the BJP came to power, and floating fake news is a pastime of this government.

The Minister also referred to the leakage of data about about 5.62 lakh Indians in this manner, as admitted by Facebook. However, Cambridge Analytica (CA) which at first denied the reports, finally wound up business following the controversy.

Ravi Shankar Prasad also informed that explanation was also sought from CA and blamed that even when Facebook came out with corrective steps, CA was flatly denying such gathering of data.