'Remove Fake Content Within 3 Hours': Election Commission To Political Parties Amid LS Polls

EC's instructions is part of directives issued by the poll panel to political parties for responsible and ethical use of social media in election campaigning to ensure a level playing field.

EC bats for ethical use of social media platforms. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Taking action on fake content, the Election Commission (EC) on Monday directed political parties to remove fake content from their social media platforms within three hours of such content being brought to their notice. 

Notably, EC's instructions is part of directives issued by the poll panel to political parties for responsible and ethical use of social media in election campaigning to ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders after taking cognisance of certain violations by them, reported news agency PTI.

Recently, the deepfake videos showing Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and actors Aamir Khan and Ranveer Singh posted on certain social media handles were taken down and criminal complaints were filed.

Notably, the EC has cautioned political parties against the misuse of artificial intelligence-based tools to create deepfakes, which distort information and propagate misinformation and emphasised the need to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.

In response to observed violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and existing legal provisions by political parties and their representatives on social media platforms, the EC took cognizance. It issued directives to ensure the responsible and ethical use of social media in election campaigning, aiming to maintain a level playing field among all stakeholders.

Political parties are instructed to remove any objectionable content within three hours of being notified, and to caution individuals responsible for disseminating unlawful information within their ranks, as stated in an EC press release.

The EC also warned the parties against misuse of artificial intelligence-based tools to create deepfakes that distort information or propagate misinformation and emphasised the need to uphold the integrity of the electoral process,as per a report of Business Standard.