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Google and Facebook Have Complied With New IT Rules, Twitter Yet To

The microblogging site is yet to send details of its chief compliance officer to the IT ministry but has shared details of a lawyer working in a law firm as the nodal contact person and grievance officer.
The Wire Staff
May 29 2021
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The microblogging site is yet to send details of its chief compliance officer to the IT ministry but has shared details of a lawyer working in a law firm as the nodal contact person and grievance officer.
Social media platforms. Illustration: The Wire
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New Delhi: Large social media companies like Google, Facebook and WhatsApp have complied with the Centre's new social media rules, but Twitter is yet to send details of its chief compliance officer to the IT ministry.

According to news agency PTI, the microblogging site has shared details of a lawyer working in a law firm as the nodal contact person and grievance officer.

The new IT rules require these designated officers of significant social media platforms to be employees of the company and resident in India.

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Most large social media platforms have shared details of chief compliance officers, nodal contact persons and grievance officers with the ministry, as laid down under the new rules, sources told the news agency.

Significant social media intermediaries, including Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Sharechat, Telegram and LinkedIn, have shared details with the ministry as per the requirement of the IT norms that came into effect earlier this week.

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After the government pressed the microblogging site on Thursday, Twitter sent a communication sharing details of a lawyer working in a law firm in India as their nodal contact person and grievance officer.

On Thursday, the row over Twitter's labelling posts by some BJP leaders as containing 'manipulated media' had escalated, with the government saying the messaging platform was levelling "baseless and false allegations" to defame India and dictating terms to the world's largest democracy.

It started with Twitter calling the visit by the Delhi Police to its offices a form of "intimidation".

While the government called it "totally baseless, false and an attempt to defame India", Delhi Police said the statement was "mendacious" and designed to impede a lawful inquiry.

Twitter had marked several tweets by ruling BJP leaders, which posted links to a 'toolkit', which was allegedly forged, as containing 'manipulated media', which prompted the police to visit its offices late on Monday.

Twitter said it was committed to India as a vital market, but criticised the new IT rules and regulations that it said "inhibit free, open public conversation."

Under the new rules, social media companies like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter have been asked to identify within 36 hours the originator of a flagged message as well as conduct additional due diligence, including the appointment of a chief compliance officer, nodal contact person and resident grievance officer.

WhatsApp has sued the Centre, saying the new rules will mean the end of privacy.

Non-compliance with rules would result in these platforms losing their intermediary status, which provides them immunity from liabilities over any third-party data hosted by them. In other words, they could be liable for criminal action in case of complaints.

After the new norms came into effect on May 26, the IT Ministry had turned the heat up on significant social media companies, asking them to immediately report compliance and provide details of the three key officials appointed.

(With PTI inputs)

This article went live on May twenty-ninth, two thousand twenty one, at thirty-seven minutes past ten in the morning.

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