Lok Sabha Question No. 477 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-01
Subject: Use of Social Media in Elections
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Mitesh Rameshbhai (Bakabhai) Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 477

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2021

## USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN ELECTIONS

## 477. SHRI MITESH RAMESHBHAI PATEL (BAKABHAI):

Will the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  prevent  and  regulate  fake  social  media platform news and dissemination of wrong information; and
- (b)  the  details  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  prevent  misuse  of  social  media platform and to remove illegal content during election campaign?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR)

(a)  and  (b):Government is well aware of the risk and danger posed by growing phenomena of fake  news  and  dissemination  of  wrong  information  through  various  social  media  platform. Government has taken several steps to address the challenges of fake social media platform news and wrong information. These, inter alia, include:

- (i) A  Fact  Check  Unit  has  been  setup  under  Press  Information  Bureau  of  Ministry  of Information and Broadcasting in November, 2019. This Unit takes cognizance of fake news both suo-motu and by way of queries sent by citizens on its portal or through e-mail and whatsapp. The  Unit  responds  to  the  relevant  queries  with  correct  information  when  the  same  pertains  to Central Government or forwards them to States/UTs in other  cases. The Unit also maintains a twitter  account  @PlBFactcheck  and  posts  cases  of  fake  news,  being  busted,  on  the  same  on regular basis. The Fact Check Unit of PIB covers news on various media platforms, including electronic media.
- (ii) Government,  on  25.02.2021  has  notified  the  Information  Technology  (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 under the Information Technology Act, 2000. These Rules require that the intermediaries follow certain due diligence as prescribed. They are required to publish privacy policy and terms of use of their platform. They are required to inform  their  users  not  to  host,  display,  upload,  modify,  publish,  transmit,  update  or  share  any information that is harmful, objectionable, and unlawful in any way. They are also required to remove any unlawful content related to Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India or violative of any law, as and when brought to their knowledge either through a court order or through a notice

by  appropriate  government or its agency. The Rules also require that publishers of news shall observe the Code of Ethics which includes adherence to:

- (a)  Norms of Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India under the Press Council Act, 1978;
- (b) Programme Code under section 5 of the Cable Television Networks Regulation) Act, 1995;
- (c)  Content  which  is  prohibited  under  any  law  for  the  time  being  in  force  shall  not  be published or transmitted.

(iii) Section 79 of the Act provides that intermediaries are required to disable/remove unlawful content  relatable  to  Article  10(2)  of  the  Constitution  either  through  a  court  order  or  on  being notified by appropriate government or its agency.

(iv) Section  69A  of  the  IT  Act,  2000  empowers  Government  to  block  any  information generated,  transmitted,  received,  stored  or  hosted  in  any  computer  resource  in  the  interest  of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above.

(v) Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) through a program, namely, Information Security Education & Awareness (ISEA), has been creating awareness among users highlighting the importance of following the ethics while using Internet and advising them not to share rumors/fake news. A dedicated website for information security awareness (https://www.infosecawareness.in) provides all the relevant awareness material.

(vi) MeitY actively participated in a Committee specially constituted by Election Commission of India to address the issue of misuse of digital and social media in election campaign. Based on the recommendations of the Committee, the Election Commission has worked with the industry. A  code  of  commitment  was  developed  in  last  general  election  held  in  2019.    Election Commission  worked  closely  with  social  media  platforms  as  per  the  code  of  commitment  for speedy removal of any objectionable or unlawful content.

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