WhatsApp appoints Grievance Officer for India to curb fake news
After sustained pressure from the Indian government over the proliferation of fake news and misinformation on WhatsApp, the messaging service has appointed a 'Grievance Officer for India'. The appointment fulfils one of the conditions the Indian government had asked WhatsApp to meet, in its list of demands aimed at curbing fake news propagation. The appointment was made at the end of August. Here's more.
Details of the grievance officer's appointment
The 'Grievance Officer for India' is Komal Lahiri, whose LinkedIn profile reveals that she is senior director, global customer operations and localisation, WhatsApp. While WhatsApp spokespersons refused to comment on the matter, they said that the Grievance Officer for India being US-based is similar to practices by other American tech companies. WhatsApp has updated its website to reflect the appointment, reports PTI.
How to use the grievance addressal system
WhatsApp has said that users can directly reach the support team via the settings tab on the app. However, in case they want urgency, they're also allowed to contact the Grievance Officer for India directly. Additionally, WhatsApp has said that users can also raise questions about their accounts, and about WhatsApp's Terms of Service with the Grievance Officer.
The steps WhatsApp has taken against fake news so far
The appointment also marks another step by WhatsApp to try and curb fake news propagation in India. The messaging service had earlier introduced a forwarded label for messages, and had limited the number of times a message could be forwarded to five. WhatsApp had also removed the 'Quick Forward' button to discourage mass forwarding. Additionally, it is also holding awareness sessions about fake news.
WhatsApp had been under government pressure for a while
However, WhatsApp has refused the government's demand that a system to trace messages be introduced. Earlier, the government had warned WhatsApp about legal consequences if fake news was not curbed. Subsequently, in a meeting between WhatsApp CEO Chris Daniels and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, WhatsApp had been urged to set up an Indian corporate entity subject to Indian laws.
