FB, Twitter to help EC check fake news during polls
Google, Twitter, and Facebook have assured the Election Commission that they won't allow their platforms to be used for anything which affects polls' purity during the campaign period, Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said. He said it was tested during Karnataka elections. "Small pilot was there. That was the beginning... We'll have a bigger pilot before Lok Sabha elections in four states," Rawat said.
Assembly elections are due in four states later this year
Assembly polls are due in MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram, later this year. Rawat said a committee under Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha had called regional and local heads of Google, Facebook, and Twitter and had asked them as to what they can do for ensuring purity of Indian elections such as avoiding adverse impact of fake news and targeted communication to voters.
Twitter, Facebook, Google didn't allow things affecting polls
"They have all committed that during campaign period, they won't allow anything which is adversely affecting... During the last 48 hours before the close of poll, they have committed that nothing of elections will be allowed on their platforms," Rawat said. The last 48hrs before the elections come to a close is "silence period" for voters to calmly decide on whom to vote for.
Google to share details about expenditure incurred on its platform
The companies have also assured the poll watchdog that political advertisements will be flagged, including the amount spent, so that expenditure can also be accounted for during the campaign period, the Chief Election Commissioner Rawat said. Google will establish a system that will allow it to share with the EC details about the expenditure incurred on its platforms.
Panel to explore changes in Section 126
The panel under Sinha was set up to explore possible changes in Section 126 of Representation of People Act, 1951 in view of the expansion and diversity of media platforms. Section 126 "prohibits displaying any election matter by means, inter alia, of television or similar apparatus, during the period of 48 hours before the hour fixed for conclusion of poll in a constituency."
