The election fever has gripped the nation and The Chief Election Commissioner of India has set strict guidelines regarding social media usage of the contesting candidates. With more than 84 million voters casting their votes, there is a rigid set of guidelines which need to be followed by the candidates and the social media platforms. The candidates have been asked to furnish the details of their social media account. The political parties are also required to possess a P-certification for all political advertisements done online. The Model Code of Conduct will apply on the content posted by the candidates and the political parties.
Social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter, Google and YouTube submitted a written statement ensuring that all the political advertisements will be approved by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC). They also clarified that that grievance officers have been appointed to ensure that there is no violation of the guidelines. It was also added that Google and Facebook have announced the verification of political advertisers with respect to consumer buying. The Election Commissioner has also restricted the usage of loud speakers from 6 am to 10 pm to curb the severe noise pollution.
