India to create a Grievance Committee to oversee social media content moderation

Following the latest amendments to the 2021 IT Rules, India will establish one or more government-led Grievance Appellate Committees to hear challenges against social media platforms’ content moderation decisions. The 2021 IT Rules oblige social media companies to appoint local grievance officers to handle users’ content moderation appeals. According to the new amendments, social media users may appeal the grievance officers’ decision to the Grievance Committee within thirty days of receiving the officers’ decision.

The latest amendments went into effect on 28 October 2022, and envisage that the Grievance Committees will be set up within the next three months. The Indian Government will appoint the Committee Chairperson and two full-time members, that will handle the appeals ‘expeditiously’ and issue decisions within thirty days.