NEW DELHI: Next time you have a problem with a social media platform that has not been satisfactorily resolved, you can approach the government’s Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) that has just been launched.
The GAC will have to address your appeal within 30 days. “The digital platform, Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC), is a powerful tool for ensuring accountability of platforms to their users,” said Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
The GAC was one of the provisions in the recently amended Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The framework, which proposes three GACs, was notified on January 28 last. The purpose is to ensure that your Constitutional rights are not contravened by any big-tech platform.
IT Rules 2021 mandates a grievance officer for social media intermediaries like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp so that you can report rule violations. The GAC is a virtual digital platform wherein the entire appeal process, from filing to decision making will be done online. Each of the GACs has a chairperson, two whole-time members from different government entities, and retired senior executives from the industry, for a term of three years.
Bid to make platforms accountable
“GAC’s main aim is to ensure that grievance redressal of platforms are functional and responsive. When that function is unable to resolve a grievance, the appeals will come to GAC,” the minister said