The continuing tussle between India and U.S. social-media companies shows how difficult it is to rein in technology platforms’ outsize—and sometimes pernicious—influence on public discourse without radically enhancing governments’ power to police speech.
Recent developments in India are worth watching for the precedents they could set, particularly for other large developing democracies. In June, the Indian government announced plans for the formation of a Grievance Appellate Committee, or GAC, to hear users’ complaints against technology platforms’ content-moderation decisions. The aim would be similar to that of Facebook’s Oversight Board—with the ability to review and potentially overturn content takedown or account blocking orders.
