Ministry sources have informed that Twitter is the only significant social media platform that is yet to abide by the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Other platforms have abided by the regulations.
Sources within the Ministry informed, “Most of the major social media intermediaries have shared the details of their Chief Compliance Officer, Nodal Contact Person and Grievance Officer with Ministry of Electronics and IT, as required by the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.”
The significant intermediaries include Koo, Sharechat, Telegram, LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, WhatsApp and others. Sources said, “After a firm response from the Government yesterday, Twitter sent a communication late last night, sharing details of a lawyer working in a law firm in India as their Nodal Contact Person and Grievance Officer.”
“The Rules require that these designated officers of the significant social media companies must be the employees of the company and resident in India. Twitter has not yet sent the details of the Chief Compliance Officer to the Ministry,” they said.
The dispute between Twitter and the Indian Government has escalated since the social media platform expressed its refusal to abide by the laws of the country. “Twitter needs to stop beating around the bush and comply with Indian law. Lawmaking and policy formulations are the sole prerogatives of the sovereign and Twitter is just a social media platform. It will have no locus in dictating what India’s legal policy framework should be,” the Government had said in a statement.
While other platforms have abided by the rules, it appears that Twitter is yet to follow suit.