New Delhi, Jan 10: Prominent office bearers of the BJP have launched a frontal assault against the big tech companies and social media platforms calling for their regulation after US President Donald Trump was deboarded from Twitter and Facebook.
BJP Yuva Morcha President and Lok Sabha MP Tejasvi Surya said in a tweet, “If a platform is free, know that you are the product that they’re selling Time has come for all concerned citizens of the world to revisit the free service business model of internet apps.”
Surya said self regulation of social media has failed. “Self regulation of SM has failed. Pvt firms can’t be platform, judge, jury & executioner — all in 1. IT Act envisages a method where irregularities on SM is reported to independent authorities & they objectively decide & direct firms to take action on content,” he added.
“IT Act defines Big Tech firms as ‘intermediaries’. Sec 79 bars platforms from altering content & are exempt from liabilities But IT Intermediaries Guidelines Rules permit them to alter content. I’ve requested govt to address this anomaly,” he said in a series of tweets.
Surya attacked censorship of content by big data and said it poses a danger to democracies. “Capitol Hill violence is highly condemnable. There can be no justification for breaking rule of law/incitement for violence But censorship of content by opaque algorithms of big data firms & danger it poses to democracy is a question all democracies must address,” he said.
“#FoE was strengthened by SC in #ShreyaSinghal, a case of judiciary reinforcing our faith in Constitution Citizens decide what their opinions are & are free to express themselves. FB & Twitter serve as platforms of expression & shouldn’t curtail people’s will #RegulateBigTech,” Surya said.
“Dissent is fundamental to democracy & govt welcomes it. But only constitutional authorities can decide on its resonability Lately, we’ve witnessed a sea change in actions of #BigTech Cos which have themselves assumed this role Time for us to #RegulateBigTech (sic),” said Surya.
“Recently, the actions of social media giants have paved the way for introspection and consequential amendments in India’s tech laws. Actions of Intermediaries must be condemned and any law that provides such wide powers must be reviewed,” he added.
BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya said in a tweet, “Deplatforming Donald Trump, a sitting US president, sets a dangerous precedent. It has less to do with his views and more to do with intolerance for a differing point. Ironically, those who claim to champion free speech are celebrating. Big tech firms are now the new oligarchs.” (IANS)
