Twitter names Vinay Prakash the Resident Grievance Officer for India

New Delhi/ July,11: Twitter, which is currently involved in a standoff with the Centre over the latter’s new Information Technology (I-T) rules, has on Sunday named Vinay Prakash as the Resident Grievance Officer for India. The social media platform in its Help Center section mentioned, “Grievance Officer contact information for users in India: Resident Grievance Officer, Vinay Prakash, grievance-officer-in @ twitter.com, Twitter, Inc.”
The social media giant in its tweet said it can be contacted in India at its Bangalore office address.
For the past several months, Twitter has been involved in a stand-off with the Indian government over the new amendments in the country’s new Information Technology laws with the micro-blogging platform losing its intermediary status and becoming liable for user-generated content.
Earlier in an affidavit filed before the Delhi High Court, the Central government informed that Twitter Inc has failed to fully comply with the IT Rules 2021 in spite of the three months time granted to all Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs). The deadline for complying with the new rules was May 26, 2021.
The Government of India has approached the Supreme Court seeking transfer of all petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021 from various High Courts to the top court.
India’s recently enforced law, Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Ethics Code) Rules 2021, came to regulate the functioning of online media portals and publishers, social media companies like Facebook, Twitter – rendering their services as ‘intermediaries’ – and as well as over-the-top (OTT platforms).
According to amended IT rules, social media and streaming companies will be required to take down contentious content quicker and appoint grievance redressal officers based in the country to deal with online content flagged by authorities and courts and assist in investigations.