Wrong Indian map on social media among concerns raised by govt’s appellate panel

Wrong Indian map on social media among concerns raised by govt’s appellate panel

Wrong Indian map on social media among concerns raised by govt’s appellate panel ByAditi Agrawal Jan 09, 2025 10:34 AM IST Share Via Copy Link Officials who adjudicate grievances on content moderation decisions asked if there was a way to block unofficial map of India from being displayed on internet.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Wednesday held a workshop in the national Capital focusing on enhancing the grievance redressal framework through the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC).

The government urged social media platforms and intermediaries to act swiftly in addressing complaints. (File photo | Shutterstock)

Government officials who adjudicate grievances about content moderation decisions taken by social media platforms asked companies if there was a way to block the unofficial map of India from being displayed on the internet in the country using automated filters or algorithms.

This issue was raised at the first in-person meeting between the members of the three GACs – that were established in January 2023 through October 2022 amendments to Information Technology (IT) Rules – and social media platforms.

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The workshop was held to discuss ways to ensure a safer, more accountable internet for users.

The workshop, the first of its kind organised by MeitY, saw participation from MeitY officials, chairpersons and members of the three GACs, and social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, Google/YouTube, Twitter/X, Telegram, Snap, and Sharechat.

The aim of the workshop was to focus on improving the functioning of the GACs and making grievance redressal faster, easier, and more efficient.

The GACs were created through 2022 amendments to Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Users dissatisfied with decisions made by the platform’s grievance officer can approach these government-appointed bodies.

At least two GAC officials asked social media platforms if any filters or algorithmic tools could be used to prevent or remove the Indian map that excludes parts of Jammu and Kashmir from being shown in India, three people aware of the matter said.

At least one GAC member, during the workshop, said that platforms should not send boilerplate responses to users as they reply to grievances. Instead, specific violations of platforms’ community guidelines should be highlighted in responses to users.

GAC members also asked platforms to include date stamps in the copies of communications shared with the GAC when a user escalates a grievance.

“This is so that the GAC can assess whether the platform responded in time, and whether the user escalated it within a 30-day period of getting a response from the grievance officer, as prescribed in the rules,” one of the persons cited above said.

In cases of “gross injustice”, such as those related to the account of woman being compromised, the GACs accept grievances even after this 30-day period.

In such cases, they also consider grievances that are brought to the GACs directly, without first being raised with the platform’s grievance officer, as required by the rules.

During the workshop, another GAC officer said that earlier, the GACs did not accept any grievances that were first not taken to the platform’s grievance officer, people cited above said.

In a press statement on Thursday, MeitY said that the three GACs had received 2,322 appeals of which 2,081 had been resolved since their operationalisation in March 2023. To address concerns in 980 appeals, 1,214 orders were passed. Data on GAC’s official website on Wednesday evening showed that 2,388 appeals had been received of which 2,177 had been disposed.

During the workshop, there was discussion about how most appeals are related to hacking of or loss of access to personal accounts, the three people cited above said. Very few grievances have been raised about suspension of user account by platforms, or removal of content for violating platform guidelines, two of these people said.

While in 2023, few appeals were raised, the number grew in 2024 due to increased public awareness, additional secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar said during the workshop. In 2024, over 300 appeals were filed every month, according to MeitY.