Social media grievance panels require more publicity, says MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar

“We are doing a review later this month. We will take stock of what was going on there. I have not heard anything negative,” the minister said, adding that contrary to expectation, the GACs have not seen a rush of grievances and appeals.

“I have not seen a huge rush of grievances and appeals. Maybe it is still not very obvious to everybody that such a thing exists and maybe more publicity is required,” he said.

In the last three months, the GACs received only 61 requests, of which 45 have been dealt with.

Chandrasekhar said there may be a need to spread consumer awareness about it. He had earlier said that the GACs will be assessed three months after launch for feedback and improvement.

Earlier this year, the Centre announced the establishment of three GAC panels based on the recently amended Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

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The idea was to give users avenues for redress of grievances apart from courts. Users have the option to appeal against the decision of the grievance officer of the social media intermediaries and other online intermediaries before this new appellate body. Rules require GACs to resolve an appeal within 30 days from the date of receipt.Internet experts and privacy activists are also asking for more disclosure on the nature of these appeals and the process in which they are disposed of.

The first GAC panel is led by Rajesh Kumar, CEO, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under the Union home ministry. It has Indian Police Service officer Ashutosh Shukla and Sunil Soni, the former chief general manager and chief information officer of Punjab National Bank, as whole-time members.

Vikram Sahay, joint secretary in charge of the policy and administration division of the information and broadcast ministry, leads the second panel that has retired Commodore Sunil Kumar Gupta and Kavindra Sharma, former vice president of L&T Infotech, as whole-time members.

Kavita Bhatia, a scientist in the IT ministry, helms the third panel with Sanjay Goel, a retired Indian Railway Traffic Service officer, and Krishnagiri Ragothamarao Murali Mohan, former managing director of IDBI Intech, as whole-time members.