The Election Commission said a total of 647 cases of paid news have been found while 909 posts have been taken down from various social media platforms during the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections which ended on Sunday.
Of the total paid news cases, 57 were registered in the seventh phase of voting, one in the sixth phase, eight in the fifth phase, 136 in the fourth phase, 52 in the third phase, 51 in the second phase and the highest – 342 – in the first phase.
The EC said the total of paid news cases found in 2014 was the “worst” – at 1,297.
For the first time, the Commission said it implemented the “voluntary code of ethics for social media” and deployed experts and nodal official in all constituencies.
Among the posts taken down by various social media platforms, the EC said that Facebook has taken down 650 posts, Twitter 220, ShareChat 31, Google five and WhatsApp three.
