Grievance Apellate Committee Said to Include One Government Nominee: Report

The authorities’s grievance apellate committee being formulated to research appeals filed by customers in opposition to grievance presents of social media platforms could embody one authorities nominee, in line with a report. The committee is reportedly anticipated to be arrange by way of a proposed modification to the IT Rules for a citizen-centric mechanism, which may very well be notified within the coming weeks. The authorities is but to formally announce particulars of the committee, which is anticipated to offer customers with a mechanism to enchantment arbitrary choices of Big Tech companies in reference to content material moderation and account takedowns.

According to a report by PTI on Thursday citing an unnamed supply, the grievance apellate committee for social media customers that’s anticipated to be arrange by way of an modification to the IT Rules, might additionally embody a member nominated by the federal government, together with unbiased specialists.

The proposed change to the foundations that will allow the forming of the committee might probably be notified in lower than a month, as per the report.  

The composition of the upcoming grievance apellate committee to create a citizen-centric mechanism to allow residents to enchantment in opposition to choices taken by Big Tech companies’ grievance officers will probably be notified as a part of the IT Rules, the report states, citing a authorities official conscious of the developments.  

The grievance apellate committee, which is anticipated to handle appeals inside 30 days, is designed to grant social media customers entry to a mechanism for decision of their grievances which are mentioned to have been unresolved, regardless of the modifications to the IT Rules final 12 months, that require Big Tech companies to nominate a grievance redressal officer within the nation.  

Back in June, the federal government had circulated draft guidelines for the amended IT Rules to arrange the grievance apellate committee, which have been later withdrawn. Weeks later, the US-India Business Council, a part of the US Chamber of Commerce, and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum reportedly expressed issues in regards to the independence of the commitee, if the federal government had a hand in its formation.