India is considering a panel to rule on social media takedowns

Digital rights activists warn the move will increase direct gov’t control over social media platforms in India.

India is considering whether to set up an appeals panel with the power to reverse the content moderation decisions of social media firms, the information technology ministry said, in what would be the first such move of its kind worldwide.

The revelation came in a document seeking comments on plans for changes to IT rules that took effect last year and aim to regulate social media content, making platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter more accountable.

The document, made public on Thursday, proposed one or more such appeal panels. It set a deadline of 30 days for appeals against decisions by company grievance officers, while the panels themselves get a further 30 days to take up the matter.

Social media firms are already required to have an in-house grievance redressal officer and designate executives to coordinate with law enforcement officials.

“The intermediary shall respect the rights accorded to citizens under the constitution,” the draft rules say in a newly-added section, referring to social media companies.

Apar Gupta, executive director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for digital rights, tweeted that should the move go through, it will “increase” direct government control over social media platforms.

India ranks among the largest sources worldwide of government requests for content takedowns to Twitter Inc and Meta Platforms Inc.