In News
- Recently, Centre established three Grievance Appellate Committees based on the recently amended Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021).
About
- The IT rules 2021 provide for:Â
- Creating avenues for grievance redressal apart from Courts andÂ
- Ensure that the Constitutional rights of Indian citizens are not contravened by any Big-tech Platform by ensuring new accountability standards for SSMIs.
- Objective:Â
- Safety and trust of every Digital Nagrik
- Robust grievance redressal system to ensure accountability of all Internet platforms offering a service or product
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Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC)
- About:Â
- It is a critical piece of overall policy and legal framework to ensure that the Internet in India is Open, Safe & Trusted and Accountable.Â
- The GAC will be a virtual Digital platform that will operate only online and digitally – wherein the entire appeal process, from filing of appeal to the decision thereof, shall be conducted digitally.
- Need:Â
- The need for GAC was created due to large numbers of grievances being left unaddressed or unsatisfactorily addressed by Internet Intermediaries.Â
- What is expected of it?Â
- To create a culture of responsiveness amongst all Internet Platforms and Intermediaries towards their consumers.Â
- Appeal:
- Users will have the option to appeal against decision of the grievance officer of the social media intermediaries and other online intermediaries before this new appellate body.Â
- The Committee will endeavour to address the user’s appeal within a period of 30 days.
- In action:Â
- The online platform will be operational in one month of this notification of the Grievance Appellate Committee, i.e. from 1st March 2023.Â
- Periodic reviews of GACs and reporting and disclosures of GAC orders will also be part of the process.
Source: PIB
