Google files second transparency report in accordance with new IT Rules

Removes over 150,000 pieces of content based on complaints received in May and June, over 98% of which were related to copyright

Google in India removed over 150,000 pieces of content based on complaints received in May and June. Over 98 per cent of these were related to copyright, the Internet giant has said in its transparency report under the new intermediary Rules under the Information Technology Act.  

Google received 34,883 complaints in May 2021, and 36,265 in June 2021, according to details provided in the report.

In May, 98.9 per cent (71,132) and in June, 99.3 per cent (83,613) removal action was taken because of copyright issues.

Further, trademark issues were the cause of removal of 1.1 per cent content in May, and 0.6 per cent in June.

Copyright issues include requests related to alleged copyright infringement, received under notice and takedown laws such as the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Trademark requests relate to claims of infringement and misuse of trademarks.

Google has explained earlier that each unique URL in a specific complaint is considered an individual "item". A single complaint may specify multiple items that potentially relate to the same or different pieces of content.

In accordance with the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules (“IT Rules”), 2021, which includes details of complaints received from users in India and the actions taken across Google's platforms that are classified as "significant social media intermediaries" ("SSMIs") under the Rules.

The IT Rules, notified on February 25, ask significant social media intermediaries, or those with over 5 million users, to "publish periodic compliance report every month mentioning the details of complaints received and action taken thereon, and the number of specific communication links or parts of information that the intermediary has removed or disabled access to in pursuance of any proactive monitoring conducted by using automated tools or any other relevant information as may be specified".

The Rules came into force from May 26.

Number of removal actions as a result of automated detection was 634,357 in May, and 526,866 June.

According to Google, these numberes represent the removal actions taken across its SSMI platforms "using automated detection processes for some of our products to prevent the dissemination of harmful content such as child sexual abuse material and violent extremist content. We balance privacy and user protection to: quickly remove content that violates our Community Guidelines and content policies; restrict content (e.g., age-restrict content that may not be appropriate for all audiences); or leave the content live when it doesn't violate our guidelines or policies".

According to Google, each unique URL in a specific complaint is considered an individual "item". A single complaint may specify multiple items that potentially relate to the same or different pieces of content. "When we receive complaints from individual users regarding allegedly unlawful or harmful content, we review the complaint to determine if the content violates our community guidelines or content policies, or meets local legal requirements for removal," Google said in the report.

While most technology companies publish an annual or bi-annual transparency report, under the new Rules, Google, Twitter, Facebook, and Indian players like ShareChat, Koo, Chingari, and others will have to publish a compliance report on a monthly basis.