Anything operating without a code, a set of guidelines and some regulations means vulnerability to going astray and hence with no accountability and also possibly a field chance for undesirable and criminal elements to operate. As a natural corollary, therefore, for omissions, commissions and falsehood, there is ambiguity for facing consequences, if not absolute implied immunity of the law. Information Technology and digital world, are in fact, meant to achieve objectives of fastest communication, exchanging of latest in the world of education, technology, and what not through various modes of social media platforms. Internet based social media, as it is, gives instantaneous electronic communication of a content comprising photos, videos, personal information, documents etc which the users receive via computers, smart phones, tablets etc. However, the system is very much prone to abuse, misuse and heaping untold harm on individuals, societies and even the country.
Should, therefore, social media platforms be required to provide and ensure greater transparency around their algorithms? Should their policies and programmes be subjected to provide a clean and responsible image? Should, again, such social media platforms be held very much responsible for spreading fake, misleading, harmful and provocative information or amplifying contents thereof in part or whole for questionable ends? The other connecting issue is about personal data protection and its importance simply for the reason, in common parlance, that individuals engaging themselves on line, are continuing to having the trust that their personal data will not be misused but only handled with care. It is, perhaps, only on account of the social media and personal data protection in numerous instances being misused, exploited and even black-mailed that the Government has finally considered to have an opinion/ report / recommendations on these issues by a Parliamentary Committee for reforms and suggesting regulatory mechanism.
Criminals have, of late, fond the field of access to personal data to defraud and even intimidate, harass and cheat the users. Even when personal activities are monitored and tracked by unauthorised and criminal elements, it restricts their ability to express freely and that defeats the purpose of the digital world. However, the main stress being on disciplining social media platforms and securing personal and non personal data, a report , therefore, having already been tabled by the Parliamentary Committee in both the houses of the Parliament , has given its findings as to how via a suitable legislation, the data protection could be made more comprehensive .
In other words, protection of not only personal but non-personal data could be made likely by making the social media platforms sensitive about their various obligations to the society and the country so that greater accountability could be sought from them. That such platforms and also the intermediaries be treated for the said purpose as publishers, is a step towards realising the sensitivities involved about such platforms. Publishers , per se have lot of rights including related to publishing , copyright , commercial etc but they cannot publish unwarranted, unlawful, mistaken or untruthful – least defamatory or derogative contents which being a violation of law had surely its connected repercussions to follow. Should, therefore, a sort of regulatory authority be there to monitor the contents which were prejudicial to the interests of individuals, groups, societies or others – for that, it is really a valuable recommendation that a regulatory authority with statutory backing should be set up in the country.
What needs to be stressed upon is, how, in particular social media platforms- those habitual of crossing the established and prudent lines could be brought under stricter scrutiny and regulation as such irresponsible platforms, as at times they prove, have propensity to spread unfounded, fake and sensitively provocative contents that can create even law and order problems. For that, even hardware and related equipment manufacturers need to be brought under the regulatory coverage and issuing of certificates for digital and internet of things mooted out. Until such a legislation is brought and laws made, the status quo ante cannot be allowed to rule the roost in crossing the ”restricted” lines by the social media platforms, therefore, the Government during the time must issue necessary rules, guidelines and strong advisory to such platforms to properly discipline them.
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