Microblogging platform Twitter is prone to lose its standing as a social media middleman and, in flip, be granted authorized safety underneath Section 79 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, mentioned sources conscious of the event. Indian Express.
“The government is of the view that one who has not yet followed the guidelines has lost the arbitrator status. For Twitter as of now, any and all punitive action applicable under the Indian Penal Code will apply,” mentioned a supply near the event.
Section 79 states that no middleman shall be held legally or in any other case chargeable for any third get together data, knowledge or communication hyperlinks made accessible or hosted on its Platform.
Till June 15, Twitter remained the one platform among the many vital social media intermediaries Necessary officers haven’t been appointed In these roles regardless of the federal government’s reminder, the sources mentioned.
In response to an e-mail on the event, Twitter mentioned it’s retaining the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) up to date concerning the progress of the appointments at every stage of the method.
“An interim chief compliance officer has been retained and the details will be shared directly with the ministry soon. Twitter is making every effort to comply with the new guidelines,” mentioned a spokesperson for the platform.
Guidelines issued in February required all vital social media intermediaries to appoint officers for these roles by May 26. On May 26, the ministry had written to those middlemen asking them to submit the small print of all appointments on the earliest. During the following week, all main social media intermediaries complied.
While Twitter additionally introduced that it has appointed personnel to the publish of Resident Grievance Office and nodal contact individual and is within the technique of appointing a Chief Compliance Officer, officers mentioned that since these appointments are in step with the necessities underneath the brand new IT guidelines. They weren’t purported to, so they would not.
“We sent them (Twitter) the last notice on June 5, to which they replied on June 6 that they have appointed a resident grievance officer and a nodal contact person on contract basis, and to appoint a chief compliance officer. Asked for one week’s time. It has been over 10 days since that day and there has been no response,” mentioned a senior authorities official.
Another official mentioned that with its standing as an middleman, Twitter has been diminished to the standing of a writer and therefore the rule that limits international funding in media publishers to 26 per cent may also apply.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
