The three internet-based companies have in their interactions with the EC over the past months also agreed to observe a 48-hour “silence period” prior to polling and ensure no political advertisements are put up online during this time.
The companies have conveyed to the commission that all sponsored content in favour of a political party, political leader or candidate will flag the concerned sponsor and the amount paid for posting the content on Facebook, WhatsApp (owned by Facebook), Google or Twitter.
The decision of the social media companies to screen and block negative political advertisements is completely voluntary and they have assured the EC that they will self-censor political content to identify posts that are partisan and which can disturb a level-playing field or involve negative campaigning, fake news, personal attacks and inflammatory content.
Apart from blocking objectionable publicity material and advertisements, they will even flag such content to the EC where necessary. This will be the practice through 12 days of the 14-day campaigning window and political advertisements and posts will be prohibited in the 48 hours prior to polling.
Chief election commissioner O P Rawat told TOI that “EC’s interactions with the three social media companies are complete. The companies will have posts that involve healthy campaigning. The action shall be completely voluntary.”
from Times of India https://ift.tt/2NmBee4
