New Delhi: Tech giants Google and Facebook have started updating their websites to reflect the appointment of the grievance officers as per the new IT rules that came into effect on 26 May.
The companies have shared the details with the ministry of electronics and information and technology, reported PTI citing government sources. However, Twitter is yet to inform the Centre if it is complying with the norms. Google's 'Contact Us' page shows details of Joe Grier as a contact person with an address from Mountain View, US. It also contains details on the grievance redressal mechanism for YouTube.
The new IT (guidelines for intermediaries and digital media ethics code) rules, 2021 notified by the Centre on 25 February recommend a three-tier mechanism for regulation of all online media, which confers blocking powers to an inter-ministerial committee. As per the rules, each significant social media intermediary is required to appoint a chief compliance officer, a nodal contact person for 24x7 coordination with law enforcement agencies and a resident grievance officer. All three should be resident Indians. They will also have to publish a monthly compliance report mentioning the details of complaints received and action taken.
The intermediaries are also required to prominently publish on their website, app or both, the name of the grievance officer and his/her contact details as well as the mechanism by which a user or a victim may make a complaint. The grievance officer would be required to acknowledge the complaint within 24 hours and resolve it within 15 days from its receipt.
The platforms would also be required to ensure online safety of users, especially women and remove/disable access of any such morphed content, within 24 hours of the complaint, which can be filed either by the individual or by any other person on his/her behalf. The government has also asked the significant social media intermediaries providing services primarily in the nature of messaging "to enable identification of the first originator of the information.”
