The Broadcasting Media and Communications Review Committee said on Tuesday it will expand its defamation dispute mediation body into a nine-member panel that will also handle dispute mediation related to major platforms’ measures on illegal and manipulated information.

The overhaul follows the amended Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, which took effect on Tuesday. Bamishimwi completed the panel’s formation by appointing 4 experts in addition to the existing 5 members.

The newly launched mediation panel will mediate not only rights infringements such as defamation, but also disputes related to major platforms’ measures on illegal and manipulated information.

Article 44-12 of the amended Information Network Act stipulates that when illegal information or manipulated information is reported to a major platform, the platform may take steps such as deletion, access restriction or monetisation restriction in line with its own standards. Reporters and posters of the information can apply to Bamishimwi for dispute mediation over the platform’s measures.

Platforms subject to obligations on measures for illegal and manipulated information are those with 1,000,000 or more average daily users, to be set under a draft enforcement decree of the Information Network Act scheduled to take effect in July. Specific businesses will be finalised after a resolution by the Broadcasting Media and Communications Committee.

Requirements were also eased for requesting the provision of another user’s information when damage occurs from privacy infringement or defamation. Previously, such requests were not allowed except for the purpose of civil or criminal lawsuits, but they can now also be made for the purpose of applying for dispute mediation with Bamishimwi.

Bamishimwi said it will respond to concerns that manipulated information could be included in the scope of administrative deliberation by revising its information and communications deliberation rules. Article 44-7 of the amended Information Network Act limits the scope of Bamishimwi deliberations and administrative orders by the Broadcasting Media and Communications Committee to illegal information, and excludes manipulated information from deliberation. Bamishimwi plans to reflect this in its deliberation rules later to prevent chilling effects on freedom of expression and confusion in operating the system.

Bamishimwi said, "This legal amendment is meaningful in that it raises platforms’ social responsibility while laying an institutional foundation for protecting users’ rights through revitalising dispute mediation," and added, "We will operate the dispute mediation system effectively in line with the National Assembly’s legislative intent, while doing our best to run a balanced system so that the public’s freedom of expression can be sufficiently guaranteed."