The Delhi High Court has instructed social media platform LinkedIn to disclose the information regarding its grievance officers and the standard operating procedure (SOP) it follows when handling complaints under the Information Technology Rules, 2021. The court order came in response to a lawsuit filed by Tata Sky Ltd against LinkedIn and other parties.
Lawsuit Alleges False Representation on LinkedIn Profiles
Tata Sky Ltd, which recently rebranded itself as Tata Play, alleged in its lawsuit that numerous individuals on LinkedIn had falsely portrayed themselves as employees of the company. The lawsuit further claimed that certain individuals were unlawfully using the name ‘TATA SKY’ in their profile descriptions without any authorization or permission, misleadingly presenting themselves as Tata Sky retailers.
Court Orders LinkedIn to Publish Grievance Officer Details
Justice Prathiba M Singh ordered LinkedIn to provide details of its grievance officers as per the 2021 Information Technology Rules. The court further directed LinkedIn to openly publish these details, including physical and email addresses, on its website for public access. The court also invited Tata Sky to share any outstanding issues or suggestions related to LinkedIn’s handling of grievances.
Government Mandates Grievance Officers for Social Media Platforms
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) obligates social media intermediaries under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, to appoint grievance officers and publicly make their contact information available. Last year, the government reinforced its focus on grievance officers by introducing Grievance Appellate Committees (GACs), which offer users an alternative to court proceedings for addressing complaints against social media intermediaries.
Earlier this year, the Ministry launched the GAC, providing social media users with a platform to escalate their grievances if they are dissatisfied with the actions taken by the grievance officers of any social media platform. This initiative offers a more streamlined and accessible avenue for resolving user complaints in the digital space.
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