Social media portals do not provide fake account data: Govt

Many complaints about fake accounts created for malicious intent have surfaced

Social media websites do not provide authentic data on the number of fake or duplicate accounts to the government, Parliament was informed today.

There have been complaints made by people in the past about fake accounts created in their name on social media sites, which is used with a malicious intent, Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

"There are also incidents reported where malicious incidents are initiated from some of the fake accounts. However, no authentic data is made available by social media sites on the number of such fake duplicate accounts," he said.

The Minister added that cyber space is virtual, borderless and unanimous. These unique characteristics facilitate anyone to open an account and post any information from anywhere on social media, hiding their identity.

"Government as and when such incidents of duplicate accounts are reported, take up the matter with the concerned social networking sites for disablement of such accounts," Prasad said.

Social networking sites are also providing for reporting of such duplicate accounts in their sites, he added.

Besides, the government is in regular dialogue with intermediaries like social networking sites for effective and efficient disablement of such content and duplicate accounts, the Minister informed the House.