Grievance Appellate Committees (GACs)

Context: Recently, Central Govt established three Grievance Appellate Committees based on the recently amended Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021).

About Grievance Appellate Committees:

• It is a critical piece of overall policy and legal framework to ensure that the Internet in India is Open, Safe and Trusted and Accountable.
• The GAC will be a virtual Digital platform that will operate only online and digitally – wherein the entire appeal process, from filing of appeal to the decision thereof, shall be conducted digitally.
• The need for GAC was created due to large numbers of grievances being left unaddressed or unsatisfactorily addressed by Internet Intermediaries.
• To create a culture of responsiveness amongst all Internet Platforms and Intermediaries towards their consumers.
• Users will have the option to appeal against decision of the grievance officer of the social media intermediaries and other online intermediaries before this new appellate body.
• The Committee will endeavour to address the user’s appeal within a period of 30 days.
• The online platform will be operational in one month of this notification of the Grievance Appellate Committee, i.e. from 1st March 2023.
• Periodic reviews of GACs and reporting and disclosures of GAC orders will also be part of the process.

Source:  PIB