Twitter India Appoints Grievance Officer

Twitter Appoints Grievance Officer in India Following IT Rule Concerns

Twitter has designated a resident grievance officer for India. This action follows the company’s statement regarding the potential loss of liability protection for user-generated content within the country.

Compliance with India’s New IT Rules

On Sunday, Twitter announced the appointment of Vinay Prakash as its new resident grievance officer. Contact information for Prakash has been made available, aligning with the requirements of India’s recently implemented IT rules.

These rules, initially unveiled in February and enacted in late May, necessitate the appointment of key personnel by social media platforms operating within India.

Loss of Liability Protection

Earlier this week, the Indian government informed a local court that Twitter had forfeited its protection from liability concerning content posted by its users. This was attributed to the company’s failure to appoint the required compliance, grievance, and nodal contact officials.

These officials are crucial for addressing concerns and ensuring adherence to local regulations.

Industry-Wide Compliance

Other major internet companies, including Facebook, Google, and Telegram, have already established these local compliance officer positions in India.

Understanding “Safe Harbor” Protection

Internet services typically benefit from “safe harbor” protection. This legal principle shields tech platforms from responsibility for the content shared by their users.

For example, while Twitter may be obligated to remove a post following a court order, it generally isn't held legally accountable for the content itself.

Implications of Losing Protection

Without this protection, Twitter – which boasts over 100 million users in India, according to App Annie – could be held responsible for all content published on its platform.

Indian police have already initiated at least five cases against the company and its officials, addressing a variety of issues.

Easing Tensions with the Indian Government

This recent development is expected to alleviate the escalating tensions between Twitter and the Indian government. A Delhi police squad conducted unannounced visits to Twitter’s offices in late May, which many viewed as an attempt at intimidation.

Twitter expressed concerns regarding the safety of its employees and the potential impact on freedom of expression, requesting an extension to comply with the new IT rules.

Ongoing Efforts to Comply

Twitter informed an Indian court earlier this week that it is actively working towards “full compliance” with the new regulations.

Global Trend of Tech Regulation

A growing number of countries are developing similar requirements for technology giants. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin recently signed a law mandating foreign social media companies to establish a physical presence within Russia.

This law applies to any social media platform with a daily user base exceeding 500,000 individuals.