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Block advertisements 48 hours before polls, FB told
Why it is in news?
- The Election Commission has asked Facebook to examine blocking of political advertisements 48 hours before elections, a request the social media giant is examining.
- A committee was constituted by the EC to study provisions of the Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
- Facebook agreed to examine providing a window or button on the FB page for flagging complaints about violation of election laws.
Background
- The Election Commission (EC) had set up a 14-member committee to suggest changes to Section 126 of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, which prohibits poll campaign in the last 48 hours leading to voting, in the wake of media expansion.
- Apart from suggesting modifications to the election law, the committee will also study the impact of new media and social media during the silence period and its implication in view of Section 126 and suggest changes to the model code of conduct (MCC) accordingly.
- It has also been tasked to examine the difficulties faced in regulating media platforms during the prohibitory 48 hours in a multi-phase election.
Source
The Hindu