Google has rejected Facebook’s proposal for a self regulatory body on social media sector in India. The regulatory body that is proposed by government, is to hear complaints from users about content moderation decisions, has support from Facebook and Twitter.
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An executive from Alphabet Inc’s GOOGL.O Google, at a closed-door meeting, told other attendees that the company was unconvinced about the merits of a self-regulatory body. The body would mean external reviews of decisions that could force Google to reinstate content, even if it violated Google’s internal policies.
“Such directives from a self-regulatory body could set a dangerous precedent”.
In addition to Facebook, Twitter and Google, representatives from Snap Inc SNAP.N and popular Indian social media platform ShareChat also attended the meeting. Together, the companies have hundreds of millions of users in India.
Snap and ShareChat also voiced concern about a self-regulatory system, saying the matter requires much more consultation including with civil society, sources said.
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Google said in a statement, it had attended a preliminary meeting and is engaging with the industry and the government, adding that it was “exploring all options” for a “best possible solution.”
ShareChat and Facebook declined to comment. The other companies did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
The lack of consensus among the tech giants, however, increases the likelihood of a government panel being formed – a prospect that Meta Platforms Inc’s META.O Facebook and Twitter are keen to avoid as they fear government and regulatory overreach in India, sources said.
