BJP MP Nishikant Dubey Demands Zuckerberg's Apology Over Alleged Anti-India Bias on Social Media BJP MP and IT parliamentary committee chief Nishikant Dubey has accused Meta India, Google and Snapchat of amplifying anti-India content and warned that Mark Zuckerberg must apologise or risk losing the platforms' safe harbor protection. The chairman of Parliament's Standing Committee on Information Technology, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, has launched a sharp attack on major social media companies, accusing them of amplifying content that works against India's interests and warning that their legal safe harbor protection could be withdrawn if the situation does not improve. Platforms accused of favoring anti-India content Dubey said Meta India, Google and Snapchat have been found promoting anti-India content on their platforms. He pointed to the example of a group called the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and an organisation opposed to reservation, saying their reach on these platforms had been deliberately boosted. According to him, the Cockroach Janata Party's content had been shown to roughly 3 crore (30 million) viewers, while the anti-reservation organisation's posts had reached close to 80 lakh (8 million) viewers. He said new content creators carrying anti-national views were also being given priority in visibility, even as a video of India's Prime Minister could reportedly stay taken down for up to five hours, a situation he called a serious question in itself. Concerns over child safety and obscene content Dubey said India remained extremely sensitive on matters of Child Sexual Abuse and the safety of women, and that pornographic and obscene content would not be tolerated in the country under any circumstances. He described deepfake videos of women that frequently go viral on social media as heinous crimes. Citing the Home Secretary's briefing to the committee, Dubey said the government was continuously monitoring such cases, and that it had been observed that social media companies were not removing objectionable and obscene content in time. He added that advertisements were being run alongside pornographic videos on these platforms, calling it an extremely serious issue. Committee tells Zuckerberg he must apologise Dubey said the parliamentary committee had made clear that Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg must apologise. He said that if required, the committee would also consider withdrawing the safe harbor protection currently extended to social media companies. Dubey noted that Congress MPs on the committee were also in agreement on this issue, and specifically named Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, thanking him for getting an FIR registered over the safe harbor matter. He recalled that Zuckerberg had previously expressed regret over the alleged misuse of Indian users' data, and said he would now have to answer for the fresh allegations as well. Why safe harbor exists, and why it may change Explaining the background, Dubey said the government had brought in the IT Act in the year 2000, and it was under that law that the internet was granted safe harbor protection in India. At the time, he said, there was no way to anticipate the arrival of platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat or YouTube. The safe harbor provision was designed so that if someone used the internet to commit a crime or make objectionable statements, the companies providing internet access, whether BSNL, MTNL, Reliance or Airtel, would not be held liable, since they were merely carriers. Dubey said all these newer platforms arrived only afterwards, and that India now has separate rules for them. He said Parliament had passed a law under which pornographic material and content cannot be allowed to run in India, and that anything classified as Child Sexual Abuse Material, meaning sexual material involving children, is legally treated as a heinous offence. He added that AI-generated fake videos of women fall into a similarly serious category that the committee is examining. What this means for you What this means for you: • If safe harbor protection is withdrawn or tightened, social media platforms like Meta, Google and Snapchat could face stricter rules in India, potentially leading to faster removal of harmful content but also more content restrictions for everyday users. • Complaints about deepfake videos, child sexual abuse material or obscene content can now be expected to draw closer government scrutiny, which may mean quicker takedowns when users flag such content. Questions & Answers 1. Who is Nishikant Dubey? He is a BJP Member of Parliament and the chairman of Parliament's Standing Committee on Information Technology. 2. What is he accusing social media platforms of? He alleges that Meta India, Google and Snapchat promote anti-India content and give outsized reach to groups like the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and an anti-reservation organisation. 3. What has the committee demanded from Mark Zuckerberg? The parliamentary committee has said Zuckerberg must apologise, and it may consider withdrawing the safe harbor protection given to social media companies. 4. What is safe harbor, and why does it matter? Safe harbor is a legal protection under India's IT Act, 2000, that shields internet and platform companies from liability for content posted by users; Dubey says this protection could be revoked if platforms don't act. 5. How much reach did the Cockroach Janata Party and the anti-reservation organisation reportedly get? According to Dubey, the Cockroach Janata Party's content got about 3 crore (30 million) views, and the anti-reservation organisation got close to 80 lakh (8 million) views. 6. Did Congress MPs on the committee agree with Dubey? Yes, Dubey said Congress MPs on the committee also agreed on this issue, and he thanked Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for getting an FIR registered over the safe harbor matter. https://trendkia.com/en/national/soshala-midiya-knpaniyon-para-bharake-nishikant-dubey-mark-zuckerberg-se-mangi-maphi-ki-manga-13502 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.