In New: Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on behalf of its members has agreed to observe the “Voluntary Code of Ethics” during all future elections including the ongoing General Elections to the Haryana & Maharashtra legislative assemblies and various bye elections being held simultaneously.
About Voluntary Code of Ethics
- Result of the Election Commission of India, vigorous persuasion, all the major social media platforms and IAMAI came together and mutually devised this “Voluntary Code of Ethics” for the General Elections 2019.
- Voluntary Code of Ethics came into immediate effect from the day it was presented to the Commission on 20th March, 2019.
- IAMAI and social media platforms Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Google, Sharechat and TikTok had presented and observed this “Voluntary Code of Ethics” during the General Election to 17thLok Sabha 2019.
- During the election period,social media platforms took action on 909 violative cases, reported by the ECI.
Features of Voluntary Code of Ethics
- Social Media platforms will voluntarily undertake information, education and communication campaigns to build awareness including electoral laws and other related instructions.
- Social Media platforms created a dedicated grievance redressal channel for taking expeditions action on the cases reported by the ECI.
- Social Media Platforms and ECI have developed a notification mechanism, ECI can notify the relevant platforms of potential violations of Section 126 of the R.P. Act, 1951 and other electoral laws.
- Platforms will ensure that all political advertisements on their platforms are pre-certified from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committees.
- Participating platforms are committed to facilitate transparency in paid political advertisements.
Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
- The Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is a not-for-profit industry body registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
- IAMAI is a specialized industry body in India representing the interests of the online and mobile value added services industry .
- Its mandate is to expand and enhance the online and mobile value added services sectors.
- It is dedicated to presenting a unified voice of the businesses it represents to the government, investors, consumers and other stakeholders.
Goals
- Aspire to represent 400 million internet users and over 6,000 digital start-ups.
- Ambitions to connect 1 billion Indians, create global Internet companies from India and evolve India into a digitally driven economy and society
Digital Industry
- Representing the digital industry is at the core of IAMAI mandate.
- There is already talk of this industry contributing US $1 trillion by 2022.
- IAMAI’s key role is to ensure the growth and sustainability of this industry.
Charter
- Spreading the use of the internet to a billion plus Indians.
- Creating an enabling environment for digital companies to thrive and add value to the economy and society.
- Promoting the Indian Internet ecosystem with special programmes designed for the emerging tech start-up ecosystem; and
- Helping Government leverage digital for better governance and development.
Source: PIB and The Hindu
