How do I escalate a complaint when a platform's grievance officer ignores me?

Question

I complained to an app's grievance officer about a fake account impersonating me but got no response for a month. What I am unsure about is the procedure — where the application goes, what it costs, and how long grievance officer escalation matters usually take. A plain explanation of the steps, in order, would help more than a general answer.

MyVakeel Legal Desk · Accepted Answer

The law that applies to grievance officer escalation here is Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 – Rule 3, Consumer Protection Act, 2019 – Section 2(11) and Information Technology Act, 2000 – Section 66C. The detail below matters, because Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 – Rule 3 draws the line differently depending on what your documents show.

Rule 3(2) mandates acknowledgment within 24 hours and disposal of complaints within 15 days from receipt, and non-compliance is a rule violation you can cite in escalation.

You may also file a consumer complaint under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 for deficiency in service if the platform's grievance redressal is inadequate.

The Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC), an online dispute mechanism set up by MeitY, hears appeals against grievance officer decisions or inaction and must resolve within 30 days.

Where impersonation involves identity theft, Section 66C of the IT Act allows a direct criminal complaint to police independent of the platform's internal process.

Keep a paper trail of ticket numbers, emails and dates, as the GAC requires proof that the internal grievance mechanism was approached first.

What this means for you: 1) Re-send the complaint referencing the missed 15-day deadline under Rule 3; 2) File an appeal with the Grievance Appellate Committee at gac.gov.in; 3) Lodge a parallel FIR for impersonation under Section 66C if applicable; 4) Consider a consumer complaint for deficiency in service.

Where the facts are disputed, what usually decides a grievance officer escalation matter is the paper trail — dated complaints, acknowledgments and written replies under Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 – Rule 3. You can post the details on the MyVakeel forum for a practising advocate to review, or book a paid consultation with a Bar Council verified lawyer in cyber law.