NEW DELHI: The Congress urged social media giant Facebook on Wednesday to demonstrate its neutrality with a thorough revamp of its institutional processes and asked it to outline the steps taken to curb the spread of false, polarising and hate content on its platform.
The party also welcomed the change in Facebook India's leadership team after its head of policy, Ankhi Das, resigned, but said the matter will not be resolved by just changing one individual.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said Facebook must ensure foolproof checks and balances, which cannot be tinkered by an individual's whims and political leanings.
"The Congress party welcomes the change in Facebook India's leadership team. However, the matter will not be resolved by just changing one individual," Venugopal said in a statement.
"Facebook must demonstrate its neutrality through a thorough revamp of its institutional processes and standard operating procedures, so as to ensure foolproof checks and balances that cannot be tinkered by an individual's whims and political leanings.
It must also outline the steps taken to curb false, polarising and hate news or content, spread rampantly on its platform, threatening India's social harmony," the Congress leader said.
The opposition party had demanded the setting up of a joint parliamentary committee to look into the issue.
It had written to Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg after allegations of bias in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by its India operations for not curbing certain hate content posted on the platform by some ruling party members cropped up in the US media.
Facebook had responded to the Congress by reiterating its neutrality and promising due action.