To address fake news and hate speech during elections in India, social Media platforms are appointing dedicated grievance officers to "take necessary and prompt actions against the contents published on their platforms", the Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora said today while announcing dates for elections. Intermediaries like Facebook, Twitter, Google and YouTube have committed in writing to ensure that any political advertisement published on their platforms will be certified by Election Commission's Media Certification and Monitoring Committee. Candidates will also have to include online and social media elections expenditure in their expenditure disclosures. Key takeways from the announcement: 1. On Fake News: - To keep a check on fake news and hate speech during elections, Social Media platforms have appointed dedicated grievance officers to "take necessary and prompt actions against the contents published on their platforms." - Social Media…
