As many as 130 cases of "hate news" were reported to different social media platforms between the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the latest round of Assembly elections in five states held earlier this year, the central government informed the Parliament.
In a written response to a question by Bhartiya Janata Party's (BJP) Kirodi Lal Meena in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (August 4), Kiren Rijiju, the Cabinet Minister of Law and Justice, said the Election Commission (EC) had informed that no complaints were received from the political parties concerning data leaks during elections in the last five years.
Total 'Hate News' Cases Reported
Rijiju said, "Total number of 'hate news' cases reported to social media platforms (since Lok Sabha elections 2019) is 130...," reported Business Standard.
The total number of such cases reported during the Lok Sabha polls 2019 stands at 58. He said only one such case was reported during the Assembly polls 2019 in Maharashtra and Haryana.
No complaint was received during the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly polls and the 2020 Bihar election. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls, 34 such cases were reported.
The minister said, in the Assam, West Bengal, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala Assembly polls last year, 29 cases of "hate news" were reported.
He added that the number of such cases was eight during the latest round of Assembly polls in Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur, and Uttar Pradesh held earlier this year.
Election Commission's Direction On 'Hate Speech'
Rijiju said that the EC had directed social media platforms to take down content relating to 30 cases of hate speech since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, reported The Indian Express.
He said that the EC and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) came up with a mutually agreed upon 'Voluntary Code of Ethics' for the 2019 general elections.
He added, "The code has been developed to ensure free, fair and ethical use of social media platforms and to maintain the integrity of the electoral process. Intermediary platforms have also committed to perform their share of responsibility for voter education and awareness. The ECI, in pursuance of 'Voluntary Code of Ethics', has been directing several social media platforms to take down content (links, videos, posts, tweets) found objectionable as per various provisions of Moral Code of Conduct, Representation of People's Act, The Indian Penal Code and other electoral laws during elections."