Explainer: 3 committees formed for complaints related to social media, will solve your problems like this

IT Ministry Grievance Committees: Apart from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, Twitter has inspired to create a self-regulated industry instead of a government agency. However, the IT Ministry has formed 3 committees to solve the problems of the users.

In view of the amendment made in the IT rules in October last year, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ( Meity ) has constituted three Grievance Appellate Committees ( GACs ). The government has formed these three committees to deal with the complaints of social media users . If the users are not happy with the decision of the arbitration officers of the social media company, then they can register their complaints in these committees.

Often we see that many types of controversial content are shared on social media. Users have to face problems due to such content. At the same time, due to some other reasons also, users give complaints to social media platforms. To solve all these problems, the government has changed the IT rules, so that social media users can get relief. If the social media company does not listen to the users, then they will also have a legal way.

Government control over social media companies

Social media companies such as microblogging platform Twitter, including Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, had tried to create a self-regulated industry body instead of a government agency. However, taking a different stand, the government has constituted a grievance redressal committee. Now the IT Ministry has gone a step ahead in this matter by forming Grievance Appellate Committees (GACs).

Appointed to the committee

first committee

Chairman- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indian Cyber ​​Coordination Center (ICCC) of the Ministry of Home Affairs: Presently Rajesh Kumar

Retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Ashutosh Shukla

Sunil Soni, former Chief General Manager and Chief Information Officer of Punjab National Bank

second committee

Chairman – Joint Secretary in charge of Policy and Administration Division in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: currently Vikram Sahay

Commodore Sunil Kumar Gupta (Retd), former Director (Personnel Services) of the Indian Navy

Kavindra Sharma, former vice-president of L&T Infotech

third committee

Chairperson- Scientist 'G' of IT Ministry Kavita Bhatia

Retired officer of Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) Sanjay Goyal

Former Managing Director and CEO of IDBI Intech Krishnagiri Ragothmarao Murali Mohan

Tenure of committee members

The officers who have been appointed as the chairpersons of all the three committees are already working while holding government posts. This means that officers working in ICCC, I&B Ministry and Meity will lead the concerned committee. Apart from these, the other members have been appointed for a period of three years.

How to appeal in GACs

IT Ministry said that GAC will be a virtual platform which will work only online and digitally. The entire appeal process from filing of appeal to decision will be conducted digitally. The government has created a portal at https://www.gac.gov.in where users can file their appeals.

Users will have the option to appeal against the decision of the grievance officer of social media intermediaries and other online intermediaries before the new government committee. The committee of the IT Ministry will try to settle the appeal of the users within a period of 30 days.

When will the committee start working

In an official statement, the ministry said, “Keeping in view the transition period required for the intermediaries as per their requests and technical requirements, the online platform should be operational from March 1, 2023, within one month of this notification of the Grievances Appellate Committee.” Will go. Periodic review of GACs and reporting and disclosure of GAC orders will also be part of this process.