According to CEC Rajiv Kumar, election bodies expect social media sites to flag fake news proactively
According to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Monday, election management bodies (EMBs) expect social media sites to use their “algorithm power” to proactively flag fake news. During the conference hosted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) under the auspices of the United States’ Summit for Democracy, he addressed an international gathering of Election Management Boards (EMBs).
According to him, social media platforms claim to have content policies, however, they also possess algorithms and a proactive approach to counteract fake news would facilitate “credible electoral outcomes”.
In his opinion, it is not an unfair expectation to expect the EMBs to red-flag fake news more early or deeper based on known models of operation and genres.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the CEC stated that disenfranchisement was not an option for democracies, even if temporary. According to him, the group of EMBs present, including senior representatives from Mauritius and Greece, could establish benchmarks and initiate a dialogue about their challenges and opportunities.
The United States Charge d’Affaires Elizabeth Jones, who attended the inaugural along with Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, noted the importance of the US-India partnership.
I believe India’s Election Commission is an excellent example of a well-run election management body overseeing the electoral process. Your leadership and sharing of your expertise with other democracies is greatly appreciated by the United States. According to her, Indian elections have set standards for democracies worldwide.
