July 26, 2018
Derek O’Brien speaks during a Calling Attention Motion on misuse of social media and fake news
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Sir, regarding this Calling Attention Motion, I have four specific questions to the minister and I hope he will answer that. Bur before that I have 3 sentences.
It is the party which came to power in 2014 which created the culture of digital mobs.
It is the party which came to power in 2014 which is trying to condition minds.
It is the party which came to power on 2014 which has made fake news into its master hobby.
I have four specific questions and all I ask for are the answers at the end of this debate. What did the minister not tell you in his so-called comprehensive review? He didn’t tell you which is the largest Facebook platform which was brought down by Facebook. And that page was called ‘Postcard News’. Look at the content of ‘Postcard News’. It is 100% right wing/RSS/BJP content.
(When did RSS become unparliamentary, Sir? I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. In my book it means Rumour Spreading Society.)
My first question: If Postcard News was brought down, why are BJP MLAs, MPs and ministers now demanding from Facebook that it should be brought back. Why?
My second question: One of India’s most vile, bilious, hatred-spreading Twitter handles is @IPPatel. Why was he called to the BJP President’s social media network meet last week?
My third question: Minister, if these big WhatsApp groups are creating all these problems – and you are right they are creating all these problems – please get WhatsApp to disclose to you at least 1,000 such groups and it will be very useful to you to find out who they are.
My fourth question: It is on Facebook. Facebook’s largest advertiser in India today, with 19 sponsored ads in the last six months, is ‘Nation with Namo’. My question is, who is paying for this?
Sir, I’m only concluding with one sentence. Sir, if I’m not making a relevant point I can sit down, if you want me to, but the four questions I’ve asked, I want the answers to those. Because, I believe and the Trinamool Congress believes, that digital India is really divisive India.
Thank you.
