End influence of FB, Twitter on electoral politics, Sonia Gandhi tells Govt

Congress president Sonia Gandhi drew the attention of Lok Sabha to the rising danger of social being abused to hack the democracy, in the light of recent media reports on how Facebook was favouring BJP.

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday urged the government to end influence of Facebook, other social media giants on electoral politics in India, in her Lok Sabha address. Making a Zero Hour submission in Parliament, Gandhi referred to a report published in Al Jazeera and The Reporters' Collective claiming that Facebook had offered BJP cheaper deals for election advertisements as compared to other political parties. "These reports show a growing nexus between big corporations, the ruling establishment and global social media giants like Facebook," Gandhi said.

"The rising danger of social media being abused to hack our democracy," Gandhi said describing it as an issue of paramount importance. "The global companies such as Facebook and Twitter are being increasingly used "to shape political narratives by leaders, political parties and their proxies," she added. She also spoke on how Facebook and social media platforms being abused to target those who are speaking against the Government.

She accused the social media companies of favouring some political parties while discriminating others. "It has repeatedly come to public notice that global social media companies aren't providing a level playing field to all parties," she said. "The blatant manner in which social harmony is being disturbed by FB with the connivance of ruling establishment is dangerous for our democracy," Gandhi added.

"Young and old minds alike are being filled with hate through emotionally charged, disinformation and proxy advertising companies like Facebook. Facebook was aware of it and profiting from it," Gandhi said. She charged that Facebook of breaking its rules in allowing those who propagate hatred among communities.

"I urge the government to put an end to this systematic influence and interference of Facebook and other social media giants in the electoral politics of the world’s largest democracy. This is beyond partisan politics. We need to protect our democracy and social harmony regardless of who is in power," she added.