Social media platforms such as Facebook, Google and Twitter have adopted a voluntary code of ethics for the upcoming general election to act against paid advertisements that violate norms set by the Election Commission, industry body IAMAI said on March 20.

“Under the code, participants have voluntarily undertaken to establish a high-priority communication channel with the nodal officers designated by the EC. Participants including BIGO, ByteDance, Facebook, Google, Sharechat and Twitter have also agreed to take action on content reported by the nodal officer expeditiously in accordance with the law,” the Internet and Mobile Association of India said in a statement.

In his remarks, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora appreciated the proactive steps taken by the association and its members to ensure transparency with regard to paid political advertisements, the statement said.

Arora appreciated measures such as maintaining a repository of advertisements with information of sponsors, expenditure and targeted reach of such content in an aggregated manner, it added.

“Participants have built the technology to upload MCMC (Media Certification Monitoring Committee) certification. Participants have also committed to taking action on paid advertisements violating MCMC certification requirement under notification by the EC,” the statement said.

IAMAI will act as the liaison between the social media companies and the EC.

“Collectively, IAMAI and the member participants of the code of ethics remain committed to ensuring free, fair and ethical electoral process,” the industry body said.

According to the voluntary code, no political campaign will be allowed to run on major social media platforms in the last 48 hours before polling ends.

“The platforms have committed to process any violations reported under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, within three hours as per the Sinha Committee’s recommendations,” the EC said in a statement.

Section 126 embodies “election silence”, which prohibits any form of campaigning in the last 48 hours leading up to end of voting.

This is the first time Internet-based firms have voluntarily adopted norms for online campaign.

Arora said the formulation of the code is a good beginning but is essentially a work in progress. The participants need to follow in letter and spirit the commitments made in the code of ethics, he said.