EC moves to check poll ads on websites

With the Election Commission seeking help from all websites, including social networking sites, to prevent misuse of internet during the Lok Sabha polls, the industry body Internet and Mobile Association of India started an internal consultation to respond to the panel’s directive.

The Internet and Mobile Association of India on Wednesday said that it was currently preparing a detailed response to the Election Commission’s letter, in which all websites, including the social networking sites, were asked not to put up any political advertisement without pre-certification from the poll-panel. The EC told the websites to be ready to remove any unlawful content on the instruction of the election machinery.

“We are currently preparing a detailed response in consultation with our members and other experts,” the IAMAI stated in a press-release issued a day after the EC wrote to the industry body as well as the major social networking sites.

After a meeting with the EC on November 18 last, the IAMAI pointed out that it would not have any problem in complying with the poll panel’s directive in respect of the traditional internet advertisements, which were not self-served. 

It, however, also argued that many online platforms ran a ‘self-serve’ model for placement of publicity material allowing advertisers to create advertisements and upload them on the platform. 

It might “not be feasible from a technical and practical standpoint to seek documentary or other proof to verify whether appropriate pre-certifications have been obtained,” argued the IAMAI.