Meta owned WhatsApp, on 1st May 2023, released India Monthly report under Rule 4(1)(d) and 3A(7) of Information Technology(Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Under the rule significant social media intermediaries are mandated to release a monthly report on user safety and action taken on grievances reported by users. Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and other significant social media intermediaries are releasing monthly compliance reports.
According to the report:
- From 1 March to 31 March, 2023 4,715,906 WhatsApp accounts were banned.
- 1,659,385 of these accounts were proactively banned, before any reports from users in order to protect users from any harm in the platform.
- It received a total of 4750 grievance reports and took action on 585 accounts.
- Fake NewsWhatsApp received 10 safety related grievances but took action on none.
What is Rule 4(1)(d) and 3A(7) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021?
Under Rule 4(1)(d) a significant social media intermediary shall, publish periodic compliance report every month mentioning the details of complaints received and action taken thereon, and the number of specific communication links or parts of information that the intermediary has removed or disabled access to in pursuance of any proactive monitoring conducted by using automated tools or any other relevant information as may be specified.
3A(7) Every order passed by the Grievance Appellate Committee shall be complied with by the intermediary concerned and a report to that effect shall be uploaded on its website.
Social media companies with 5 million users are considered as ‘significant social media intermediaries’. Example, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Whatsapp etc.