Social media is being used to hack our democracy: Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi, Mar 16: Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said that social media is being increasingly abused to "hack our democracy".

She said that social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, are being manipulated to set political narratives by leaders, parties and their proxies.

"This shows the connivance of the ruling establishment with these social media platforms to set political narratives, which is not good for a democracy," she said.

Making a Zero Hour submission in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi referred to a report published in Al Jazeera and The Reporters' Collective claiming that Facebook had offered BJP cheaper deals for election advertisements as compared to other political parties.

"Thank you for allowing me to take up issue of paramount importance - rising danger of social media being abused to hack our democracy. Global companies like FB & Twitter are used increasingly to shape political narratives by leaders, parties & their proxies," said Sonia Gandhi in LS.

"Young and old minds are being filled with hate through emotionally charged disinformation and proxy advertising companies like FB are aware of it&are profiting from it. Report shows a growing nexus between big corporations, ruling establishment & global social media giants like FB," she said.

"I urge Govt to put an end to systematic influence and interference of FB & other social media giants in electoral politics of the world's largest democracy. This is beyond parties & politics. We need to protect our democracy & social harmony regardless of who is in power," she added.