Centre Sets Up Committees For Complaints Against Social Media Firms, Other Online Platforms

The Centre has established three panels for addressing the users’ complaints against social media and other internet-based platforms.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT notified three Grievance Appellate Committees (GACs) based on the amended Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 on Friday (27 January).

The ministry said that the GAC is a piece of the overall policy and legal framework to ensure that the Internet in India is "Open, Safe, Trusted and Accountable". This process is going to be completely digital and online, it added.

"The need for GAC was created due to large numbers of grievances being left unaddressed or unsatisfactorily addressed by Internet Intermediaries," the ministry said.

GAC is expected to create a culture of responsiveness amongst all Internet Platforms and Intermediaries towards their consumers, it added.

The panel will be a virtual digital platform that will operate only online and digitally - wherein the entire appeal process, from filing of appeal to the decision thereof, will be conducted digitally, according to the ministry.

Users will have the option to appeal against decision of the grievance officer of the social media intermediaries and other online intermediaries before this new appellate body, the ministry said.

"The Committee will endeavour to address the user’s appeal within a period of 30 days," it added.

The government had earlier interacted with major social media intermediaries.

"Keeping in view of the transition period required for the intermediaries as per their requests and technical requirement, the online platform will be operational in one month of this notification of the Grievance Appellate Committee, i.e. from 1st March 2023," the ministry said.

Periodic reviews of GACs and reporting and disclosures of GAC orders will also be part of process, the ministry added.