LS Polls: EC meets Social Media platform Intermediaries

The Election Commission (EC) is on its toes for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. To ensure a peaceful and clean polling, EC has urged internet companies, social media platforms, to come up with a model code document for themselves based on the model code of conduct

The poll panel on Tuesday said that the companies have agreed to come up with a code of ethics, which would lay down the operational rules for the industry by Wednesday.

The move comes after EC officials' meet with representatives of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and representatives from social media organizations such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Google, ShareChat, TikTok and BigoTV.

According to reports, issues of misuse of social media during elections and pre-certification of political advertisements were discussed during the meeting.

News agency IANS has reported that they also discussed ways to curb fake news, improve transparency in political parties' expenditure on online advertising and set up a dedicated grievance channel for expeditious action by organisations on reported violations.