Voluntary Code of Ethics (CoE) compliance by Twitter (now X) complied with India’s Election Commission by removing four posts from different political parties due to electoral code violations during the Lok Sabha elections.
- This is part of the Voluntary Code of Ethics (CoE) to ensure fair elections.
About Voluntary Code of Ethics (CoE):
- The CoE was introduced in 2019 by social media platforms (SMPs) and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) to encourage free and ethical electoral processes on social media.
Key Features of CoE:
- Transparency in paid political ads is a crucial focus, ensuring that the content is openly acknowledged.
- Pre-certification requires political ads to be reviewed and certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee before they’re published on social media.
Origins and Implementation of CoE:
- As social media’s role in politics increased, the Election Commission of India (ECI) created a committee, led by Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha, to examine its impact on elections.
- The committee recommended changes to the Representation of People Act, 1951, addressing social media activity in the critical 48 hours before polling.
- IAMAI and social media platforms developed the Voluntary Code of Ethics for General Election 2019, which was implemented immediately and applies to all following elections.
Commitments Under CoE:
- Rapid Response: Social media platforms must acknowledge and process ECI’s notifications of possible violations within three hours.
- Prohibition Period: The CoE emphasizes compliance with Section 126 of the Representation of People Act, which restricts displaying electoral content during the 48-hour period before polling ends.
- Dedicated Reporting Mechanism: SMPs have a high-priority channel for ECI to quickly report and act on violations.
- Grievance Redressal: Social media platforms have a dedicated grievance redressal channel to handle reported violations promptly.
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