Facebook and Google were today asked by the Parliamentary Committee on Information and Technology (IT) to comply with new IT rules and follow the country's laws. The panel also asked the internet giants to put in place stringent data privacy and security safeguards. It has sought Twitter's response on the recent locking of his account for a brief period.
Executives of social networking website Facebook India and search engine Google deposed before the House panel today over issues like safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of social or online news media platforms' misuse, according to sources. The panel, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, will next summon representatives of YouTube and other social media intermediaries, too, in coming weeks, they said.
Facebook India was represented at the deposition by Shivnath Thukral, its Director of Public Policy, and Namrata Singh, its Associate General Counsel. Google India sent Aman Jain, it Country Head for Government Affairs and Public Policy, and Gitanjali Duggal, the Legal Department Director.
Besides complying with India's new IT Rules, the Committee directed both Facebook and Google to follow the instructions issued by the government as well as court orders. It told the executives that there were loopholes in the companies' existing data protection policies.
Facebook's officials had earlier informed the Committee that the company's COVID-19 protocol disallows them from appearing in person. Mr Tharoor, however, insisted saying the Parliament Secretariat does not allow any virtual meetings.
The official agenda circulated among members of the panel for the deposition said, "To hear the views of representatives of Facebook India and Google India on the subject 'Safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space."
Mr Tharoor has also instructed the Parliament Secretariat to seek a response from Twitter India within two days on why his account, along with that of IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, was locked for a brief period.
On June 18, representatives from microblogging site appeared before the same panel. The meeting took place against the backdrop of the US-based social media giant's recent run-ins with the government on a series of issues.
They faced tough questions and were told bluntly that "Indian laws are supreme and the company has to abide by the laws of India in India," according to sources.
A Twitter spokesperson later said that the company was prepared to work with the committee on "safeguarding citizens' rights online in line with our principles of transparency, freedom of expression, and privacy".
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