Centre sets up three grievance committees to take up user complaints against social media platforms.

January 31, 2023

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has established three Grievance Appellate Committees (GAC) under rule 3A of IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Composition of GACs
- Each GACs consists of a chairperson as Ex-officio, and two whole-time members (one is retired member) for a term of three years from the date of assumption of office or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
First GAC– Headed by Chief Executive officers of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under Ministry of Home Affairs.
Second GAC– Chaired by Joint Secretary in charge of policy and administration division in Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Third GAC– Chaired by a senior scientist at MeitY.
Role of GACs
- Oversee and revoke content moderation-related decisions taken by social media and other internet-based platforms.
- If a user is unsatisfied with content moderation decision taken by a social company’s grievance officer, they can appeal to GACs within one month. GAC will have to resolve the appeal within a month of receipt of appeal.
- Committees can seek assistance of people with expertise and experience while dealing with users’ appeals.
- They will adopt an online dispute resolution mechanism.