The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken proactive measures to address violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and existing legal provisions by political parties and their representatives on social media platforms during election campaigning. In a bid to ensure a level playing field among all stakeholders, the Commission has issued directives for responsible and ethical use of social media in electoral campaigns.
The Commission’s move comes in response to instances of misconduct observed in the use of social media by political entities. Specifically, concerns have been raised regarding the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) based tools to create deep fakes, which distort information or propagate misinformation.
In a stern warning, the ECI has cautioned political parties against the dissemination of deep fake audios/videos and the circulation of any misinformation that is patently false, untrue, or misleading. Moreover, parties have been instructed to refrain from posting derogatory content towards women, using children in campaigns, or depicting violence or harm to animals.
Underlining the importance of upholding the integrity of the electoral process, the Commission has reminded political parties of the existing legal provisions governing the regulatory framework against misinformation and impersonation through deep fakes. These provisions include the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People Act, 1950 and 1951.
In addition to these directives, political parties have been mandated to promptly remove any objectionable content within three hours of being notified, warn the responsible individuals within their party, report unlawful information and fake user accounts to respective platforms, and escalate persistent issues to the Grievance Appellate Committee under Rule 3A of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
The Election Commission’s proactive stance underscores its commitment to fostering fair and transparent electoral practices, while also safeguarding the integrity of the democratic process in the digital age. With elections looming on the horizon, adherence to these guidelines is imperative to uphold the principles of democracy and ensure a free and fair electoral contest.
