Long thread (from @nixxin )
Yesterday, I was on a business news channel, ET Now to discuss the Indian govts regulation of social media platforms. The govt held a meeting with platforms to push for takedown of fake news/misinfo. They're particularly unhappy with Twitters delays.
Yesterday, I was on a business news channel, ET Now to discuss the Indian govts regulation of social media platforms. The govt held a meeting with platforms to push for takedown of fake news/misinfo. They're particularly unhappy with Twitters delays.
One of the panelists, Vinit Goenka, made three suggestions:
1. There needs to be a KYC mechanism for users of social media. Just like banks have
2. Servers need to be kept in India (he makes this demand on every panel) Social media platforms need to pay taxes in India
1. There needs to be a KYC mechanism for users of social media. Just like banks have
2. Servers need to be kept in India (he makes this demand on every panel) Social media platforms need to pay taxes in India
3. Social Media co's need to be held accountable for user content. Just like TV channels are platforms and are held accountable what is said on TV or newspapers for what is published.
Before I address his points, a few things.
Before I address his points, a few things.
Many countries have recognised that Social Media platforms are massive enablers of free speech, incl harmful speech & are looking to regulate them. Some more, some less.
For example, Singapore has a Fake News law which allows ministers or their reps to get content taken down.
For example, Singapore has a Fake News law which allows ministers or their reps to get content taken down.
They can also force correction of content. More on that here. medianama.com/2019/04/223-si…
In Pakistan, new Social Media rules have caused outrage: Content takedowns within 24 hours, Accounts can also be shut. Platforms expected to proactively prevent illegal content, terrorist content, extremism, hate speech, fake news etc. More on that here medianama.com/2020/02/223-pa…
There was outrage. Pakistan is now holding a consultation on these laws, but that consultation itself has been boycotted
UK: Ofcom has been identified as the regulator of social media. They've looked at a "duty of care" approach. +
UK: Ofcom has been identified as the regulator of social media. They've looked at a "duty of care" approach. +
Platforms are supposed to swiftly remove content related to terrorism & child sexual abuse material, but also safeguard freedom of speech+publish transparency reports.
Now, responses to Goenka's comments...
Now, responses to Goenka's comments...
KYC for social media is a bad idea. Firstly, Speech can't be likened to banking.
You can't put a KYC on freedom of speech, because if every word we utter is tracked and forever identified with us, it will chill free speech. We will say less.
You can't put a KYC on freedom of speech, because if every word we utter is tracked and forever identified with us, it will chill free speech. We will say less.
It would enable citizen profiling and be the basis of a surveillance state, and very problematic in the hands of an all powerful government. Dissent would be affected. KYC'ing speech would be a disproportionate restriction on free speech.
Secondly, the taxation issue is a legitimate one, but not relevant to this debate. It needs to be addressed through govt to govt negotiations, and global norms being created. The US is struggling with this too: many US tech giants pay very little tax in the US.
Data localisation, which will negatively impact the economies of scale the Internet has, is the wrong approach towards addressing security and taxation issues. This will impact the global nature of the Internet. It's not going to solve the hate speech problem...
Thirdly, TV Channels &social media platforms are not the same. You cannot hold a platform responsible or liable for content that others put up. Platforms have no actual knowledge of the content of our posts or tweets. They make no decisions to allow or disallow, unlike an editor.
If content is reported (as per the Shreya Singhal judgment, via a court/govt order) & they refuse to take down, then you can take action against a platform. Else platforms will become unviable, unable to take the legal burden of speech and this could lead to them shutting.
Proactive takedowns will lead to censorship of legitimate speech bec algorithms are incapable of accurately determining hate speech, misinformation etc. That's all so subjective today.
Also remember that these same platforms have been very useful for surfacing information
Also remember that these same platforms have been very useful for surfacing information
about Delhi Police's brutality and action/inaction during and before the riots/pogrom.
At the same time, I agree that Twitter has been really lax when it comes to taking down hate speech. They need to be more responsive to government requests, especially in emergency situations
At the same time, I agree that Twitter has been really lax when it comes to taking down hate speech. They need to be more responsive to government requests, especially in emergency situations
To dispel misinfo, need to learn from Bangalore police during post-Cauvery verdict situation:they used all platforms-WhatsApp, FB, SMS to dispel rumours & assure people that things were under control.Blaming platforms is easy: govt needs to look at its own inaction too
/Fin
/Fin
