<span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">Social Media platforms and InternetMobile Association of India (IAMAI) have adopted a Voluntary Code of Ethics forthe forthcoming general elections.</span>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">According to the code submitted to theElection Commission, IAMAI and Social Media platforms, including Facebook,WhatsApp, Twitter and Google, will create a high priority dedicated reportingmechanism and appoint dedicated teams during the polls for taking expeditiousaction on any reported violations.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">No political campaign will beallowed to run on major social media platforms in the last 48 hours beforepolling ends.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">It has also been agreed to provide amechanism for political advertisers to submit pre-certified advertisementsissued by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee. </span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">The code also promises to facilitatetransparency in paid political advertisements.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">The social media companies will takeaction on content reported by the nodal officer, expeditiously, in accordancewith the law.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">IAMAI will act as the liaisonbetween social media firms and the poll panel.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">Our correspondent reports that thecode, which comes into operation with immediate effect, has been developed toensure free, fair and ethical use of social media platforms to maintain theintegrity of the electoral process.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">The code was submitted to ChiefElection Commissioner Sunil Arora in New Delhi on Wednesday.</span></p>''<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;">This is the first timeinternet-based firms have voluntarily adopted the norms for the online campaign.</span></p><!–[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> 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