The prime opposition party has also said that until the probe report is out, a new team should be formed for Facebook India’s operations.
After a Wall Street Journal report made some startling revelations claiming that Facebook in India did not take action against hate speech made by BJP leaders and Hindu Hardliner organizations, Congress has now written to the Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, demanding a probe into the conduct of Facebook India leadership.
“Congress repeatedly raised the issue of bias with many Facebook executives. Would suggest to set up a high-level inquiry into the Facebook India leadership team and submit a report to Facebook Inc. within a reasonable period of time,” AICC general secretary KC Venugopal has written.
Owing to the revelations in the Wall Street Journal report, the Congress has alleged that the Facebook India leadership provided the BJP with favourable treatment on election-related issues. The party has sought an internal enquiry of Facebook India operations.
We cannot allow any manipulation of our hard-earned democracy through bias, fake news & hate speech.
As exposed by @WSJ, Facebook’s involvement in peddling fake and hate news needs to be questioned by all Indians. pic.twitter.com/AvBR6P0wAK
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 18, 2020
The prime opposition party has also said that until the probe report is out, a new team should be formed for Facebook India’s operations.
Congress, launching a full-fledged attack on the social media giant, said the “inaction” against hate content “destabilises democracy” in India and that it was applying different rules for different countries which was “unacceptable”.
Facebook, however, has denied favouring or having any ties with the ruling BJP.
Alleging that she has been receiving “threats to her life” and that she was intentionally “vilified” following the publication of the report, Ankhi Das, a senior Facebook executive in India, filed a police complaint.
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