Question : Hate Speech on Facebook

Will the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government intends to investigate the role of Facebook, a foreign company, in displaying a biased attitude toward regulating hate speech content across its platforms;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor;
(d) whether the Government has assessed the implications of Facebook‘s content regulation policies on Indian elections and democracy; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

(a) to (e): Government has taken note of media report published in Wall Street Journal entitled “Facebook’s hate-speech Rules collide with Indian politics, thereby trying to bias the democratic system of the country”. Minister for Electronics & Information Technology has written to CEO, Facebook about alleged bias of the platform and to ensure integrity and neutrality of the Facebook and the people working for Facebook. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology has already taken up the matter with Facebook.

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