Regulatory framework needed for internet cos: Facebook India head

The executive noted that India has seen an "explosive shift" in terms of access to the internet.

New Delhi: Facebook India Head Ajit Mohan said there is a need for a “forward-looking and positive regulatory framework” for internet companies, and that organizations also need to be more transparent about how they use customer data.

The executive noted that India has seen an “explosive shift” in terms of access to the internet and this expanded access gas-driven the emergence of entirely new models, a feat that no other country has managed to do so much in such a short period of time.

“We absolutely do believe that the internet needs new rules, not just in India but around the world. We operated for a very long time with not enough clarity on the traffic lights. And this is the moment when we should think especially in democratic societies, think about how we navigate complex issues where there are competing trade-offs. I’m hoping that we can emerge with a very forward-looking and positive regulatory framework,” he said at the Raisina Dialogue.

Mohan, MD, Facebook India, said that there are a few areas that the regulations can focus on.
“One is transparency mandates. Make it the company’s to be more transparent about how data is used. Second, there’s a lot of concern about algorithms, and how machines are controlling people’s lives. I think we would be very keen to lean in and say how do we protect user agency where people have the opportunity to make explicit choices that drive algorithms,” he said.

Mohan added that a lot of the conversation has been about how large tech companies benefit from large sets of data.

“I think we have been very forward in saying we are open to creating frameworks that still protect the interests of privacy and safety when data moves around, but make it easier for users to move data between competing platforms. I do believe that we are a partner in this. But I agree with the framework that we need rules and we hope those will be forward-looking and positive,” he said.

Facebook has drawn flak in the past for its handling of hate speech on the platform in the country. India is among the biggest markets for Facebook and its group companies, WhatsApp and Instagram. According to government data, India has 53 crores WhatsApp users, 41 crore Facebook users, and 21 crore users of Instagram.