Facebook row
Facebook reps summoned by Shashi Tharoor-led Parliamentary panel on Sept 2
New Delhi/IBNS: Facebook representatives have been summoned to meet the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, after the social media giant has been caught up in a controversy over its contents' policy regarding some posts shared by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
The panel will hear the Facebook representatives on Sept 2.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore and the BJP's Nishikant Dubey, both members of the panel, wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker that Tharoor has broken the rule by tweeting about his intention to summon Facebook representatives.
Dubey moved a notice for breach of privilege against Tharoor and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday.
In the notice, he had alleged that while Tharoor had "surpassed all limits of decency, ethics and basic tenets of parliamentary procedure", Rahul had had "spread fake news and hatred."
A notification from the Lok Sabha Secretariat sent out on Thursday evening read: "To hear the views of the representatives of Facebook on the subject 'Safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space."
Earlier Shashi Tharoor had alleged in his notice for breach of privilege that Dubey made "disparaging remarks" on social media after he decided to summon a panel meeting to discuss alleged "misconduct" of social media giant Facebook.
The battle between the two leaders started after US publication Wall Street Journal reported Facebook had ignored the hate-speech posts, favouring the BJP.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook's senior executive Ankhi Das took the call of "deliberately ignoring" hate speech by BJP leaders.
The Journal reported that she had said that punishing violations by BJP workers "would damage the company's business prospects in the country."
The Journal's article alleged that Facebook has a "broader pattern of favouritism" towards the BJP.
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