A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has asked Facebook India officials to appear on November 29 to hear on the safeguarding citizens’ rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news

media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space. 

The committee is also expected to take view point of Facebook India  on a report shared by whistle blower Sophie Zhang, a former employee of the company. The committee has earlier called Facebook India in June this year to take view

According to the agenda of the meeting, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT  will “hear the views of the representatives of Facebook India 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’. The committee will also hear representatives of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on the same.

The Congress leader has earlier stated that the  the committee would look into reports that Facebook did nothing to censor hate posts by some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections and ask the social media giant to respond to the accusations.

The committee has earlier called Facebook India in June this year to take view on new the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 on February 25, 2021. The Rules have come into effect from May 26, 2021.