'FB, Other Social Media Being Abused To Hack Our Democracy': Sonia Gandhi in LS

She also said that global social media companies were not providing a level playing field to all parties.

"The blatant manner in which social harmony is being disturbed by Facebook with the connivance of the ruling establishment is dangerous for our democracy," Gandhi said in Parliament. 

(Photo: IANS)

Lok Sabha MP and interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi, while addressing Lok Sabha on Wednesday, 16 March, said that social media platforms were an imminent threat to India's democracy.

Thanking the Speaker for letting her raise an issue of "paramount importance," Gandhi said, "Rising danger of social media being abused to hack our democracy. Global companies like Facebook and Twitter are used increasingly to shape political narratives by leaders, parties, and their proxies."

She also said that these companies were not providing a level playing field to all parties.

"The blatant manner in which social harmony is being disturbed by Facebook with the connivance of the ruling establishment is dangerous for our democracy," she said.

'Social Media Igniting Hatred'

Gandhi also warned that social media platforms were causing young and old minds to be filled with hatred through "emotionally charged disinformation," adding that "proxy" advertising companies like Facebook were aware of it and profiting from it.

She also said that there was a growing nexus between big corporations, social media giants and the ruling establishment.

Gandhi urged the central government to put a stop to the "systematic influence and interference of Facebook" and other social media giants in India's electoral politics.

"This is beyond parties and politics. We need to protect our democracy and social harmony, regardless of who is in power," the Congress chief said.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi shared a picture of Facebook being used as mouthpiece by the BJP on his Instagram account.

He wrote, "Meta-worse for democracy."