“There is a need for a "forward-looking and positive regulatory framework" for internet companies, and that organisations also need to be more transparent about how they use customer data”, says Ajit Mohan, Vice President and Managing Director, Facebook India.
Mohan noted that India has seen an "explosive shift" in terms of access to the internet and this expanded access gas-driven the emergence of entirely new models, a feat that no other country has managed to do so much in such a short period of time.
"We absolutely do believe that the internet needs new rules, not just in India but around the world. We operated for a very long time with not enough clarity on the traffic lights. And this is the moment when we should think especially in democratic societies, think about how we navigate complex issues where there are competing trade-offs.
I'm hoping that we can emerge with a very forward-looking and positive regulatory framework," he said at the Raisina Dialogue. Mohan, Vice President and Managing Director, Facebook India, said that there are a few areas that the regulations can focus on. "One is transparency mandates. Make it the company's to be more transparent about how data is used. Second, there's a lot of concern about algorithms, and how machines are controlling people's lives. I think we would be very keen to lean in and say how do we protect user agency where people have the opportunity to make explicit choices that drive algorithms," he said. Mohan added that a lot of the conversation has been about how large tech companies benefit from large sets of data.
Facebook is biased with women and men, showing different ads
Facebook removed 16000 groups for fake and misleading reviews
Study reveals Facebook Algorithm Shows Gender Bias in Job Ads