Parliamentary panel directs Facebook, Google to comply with new IT rules, court orders: Report
Parl panel tells Google, Facebook they have to comply with new IT rules, court ordersFacebook and Google officials deposed before the Parliamentary panel on the issue of misuse of social media platforms The panel chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had asked the officials of the social media sites to appear in-person on the issue
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on Tuesday directed Facebook and Google to comply with country's new IT rules.
Earlier today, Facebook and Google officials deposed before the Parliamentary panel on the issue of misuse of social media platforms.
The panel chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had asked the officials of the social media sites to appear in-person on the issue.
The agenda of the parliamentary panel meeting was to safeguard citizens' rights and prevent the misuse of social/online news media platforms.
According to news agency PTI citing sources, the representatives were conveyed that there are loopholes in their existing data protection and privacy policy mechanism, and were asked to put in place stringent safeguards to protect data privacy and data security of their users.
The sources also said that Chairman Tharoor expressed concern about the privacy of women users of social media platforms. He said he has also received complaints from several women MPs in this regard.
While from Facebook its country public policy director Shivnath Thukral and general counsel Namrata Singh deposed before the panel, Google was represented by its country head (government affairs and public policy) Aman Jain and director (legal) Gitanjali Duggal.
The agenda of the parliamentary panel meeting is to safeguard citizens' rights and prevent the misuse of social/online news media platforms.
Earlier, Facebook representatives had informed the parliamentary panel that their company policy does not allow their officials to attend in-person meetings because of their Covid-related protocol.
But Chairman Shashi Tharoor conveyed to Facebook that its officials will have to appear in-person since the parliament secretariat does not allow any virtual meetings.
The Parliamentary Committee on IT will also summon representatives of YouTube and other Social Media Intermediaries in the coming weeks over the issue.
Facebook and Google representatives were called days after Twitter officials deposed before the panel.
In the last meeting, several members of the panel had categorically told Twitter that the rule of land is supreme not the social media platform's policies.
With inputs from PTI
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