IGAP Releases a Report on Social Media Transparency

The Internet Governance and Policy Project (IGAP) released a comprehensive report titled “Social Media Transparency Reporting: A Performance Review,” highlighting the transparency and compliance efforts of major social media platforms with India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. This report examines content moderation practices and grievance redressal mechanisms across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Snap, ShareChat, and Koo between June 2021 and December 2023.

As harmful online content like misinformation, hate speech, and child exploitation continues to raise concerns globally, IGAP’s study reveals significant gaps in transparency among social media platforms in India. The report compares these practices with international frameworks like the European Union’s Digital Services Act and suggests actionable steps to enhance transparency and accountability.

Key Findings

1Inconsistent Reporting Across Platforms: While platforms such as Facebook and YouTube provide relatively comprehensive transparency reports, others like Koo and LinkedIn offer limited data. This inconsistency makes it challenging to evaluate how well these platforms are complying with content moderation guidelines. The lack of uniform reporting affects users’ ability to understand the platforms’ moderation practices.

Unclear Automated Content Moderation Practices: The report highlights platforms like Snap and ShareChat for their minimal disclosure of content proactively removed by automated tools. Automated systems are expected to address harmful content such as hate speech and child exploitation; however, the lack of transparency raises questions about the effectiveness of these technologies.

Complex Grievance Redressal Mechanisms: Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X maintain both global and India-specific grievance mechanisms. The coexistence of multiple systems creates confusion for users and inconsistencies in the data reported. This complexity poses challenges in holding these platforms accountable for effectively resolving user complaints.

Need for More Granular Data: The report emphasizes that platforms should provide more detailed disclosures, particularly in terms of content moderation in regional Indian languages, actions taken against repeat offenders, and law enforcement requests. A lack of transparency in these areas limits the ability of users and regulators to gauge the platforms’ true adherence to the IT Rules, 2021.

Recommendations

IGAP’s report provides several key recommendations to improve transparency and compliance practices among social media platforms:

More Granular Disclosures: Platforms should provide detailed information on user complaints, content removals, and the diversity of Indian languages used in content moderation. This would ensure more equitable moderation practices for all users.

Standardized Reporting Formats: The report calls for uniform reporting formats across platforms, enabling better accessibility and the ability to compare data across platforms. This standardization will allow for more comprehensive oversight and evaluation.

Improved Oversight of Automated Tools: With growing concerns over misinformation, deepfakes, and synthetic media, the report urges platforms to offer clearer reporting on content flagged and removed by automated systems. Transparent disclosures will ensure that automated tools are effectively tackling harmful content.

Rakesh Maheshwari, the lead author of the report and a former Senior Director with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), emphasized the importance of social media platforms in creating a transparent and accountable digital ecosystem. “Social media platforms have a responsibility to foster a transparent and accountable digital environment, especially given their influence on public discourse. This report underscores the need for uniform, more granular reporting in line with the intent of IT Rules, 2021, and aims to bridge gaps in content moderation practices across platforms.”

The IGAP report serves as a critical reminder of the importance of transparency in ensuring safer online spaces. By improving accountability and content moderation practices, social media platforms can better serve their users and contribute to a healthier digital environment.

The full report is accessible at IGAP Report.

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