New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is set to engage in high-stakes discussions with a delegation of Meta’s top global executives on August 5 and 6 in New Delhi, putting the social media giant’s content moderation policies, safety protocols, and regulatory compliance under intense scrutiny. IT Secretary S. Krishnan confirmed on Tuesday that government officials will raise serious concerns regarding systemic lapses in curbing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), synthetically generated deepfake content, and the erroneous takedown of verified high-profile accounts. The meeting follows growing friction over platform accountability, algorithmic transparency, and compliance with Indian digital regulations.
The primary catalyst for the direct intervention stems from a late July incident where a video post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing student concerns over competitive examination paper leaks was briefly restricted on Facebook. While Meta attributed the temporary restriction to a technical glitch within its automated content filters and tendered an apology, the IT Ministry rejected the explanation as inadequate and unreasonable. In response, Meta indicated that it has established enhanced, multi-tiered review safeguards specifically to protect content posted by the Prime Minister and other prominent figures. However, Krishnan emphasized that a technology leader of Meta’s scale must ensure its systems operate reliably without erroneous moderation or automated bias.
Beyond account moderation issues, the government is demanding concrete updates regarding Meta’s enforcement measures against CSAM, particularly following regulatory scrutiny over paid advertisements on Instagram. The ministry previously issued a formal notice to Meta regarding online child safety, stressing that platform compliance with Indian law, national security, and public order remains non-negotiable. Government officials intend to question Meta’s leadership—expected to include Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan—on how the company plans to align its recommendation algorithms and moderation practices with domestic legal standards.
The executive branch’s actions coincide with escalating pressure from Parliament. On Tuesday, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, criticized social media platforms for failing to filter out illicit material involving women and children while suppressing legitimate public discourse. Following a hearing where local Meta representatives were questioned on Monday, the parliamentary panel unanimously recommended withdrawing “safe harbour” legal protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act for platforms that fail to strictly comply with Indian laws. By summoning global leadership directly, the Centre aims to enforce direct executive oversight and ensure compliance at the highest corporate level.
