The central government has conveyed a clear message to social media platform Meta during recent meetings that the company cannot completely evade responsibility for third-party content distributed through its platforms. According to the government’s position, when a platform’s algorithms and recommendation systems determine what content is shown to users and also amplify paid content, its role may extend beyond that of a passive intermediary.
According to sources, the government raised concerns with Meta officials over content moderation, algorithms, deepfakes, artificial intelligence-generated material and unlawful content. The government has emphasised that social media companies must maintain effective systems to monitor content on their platforms and take appropriate action against illegal material.
Government Raises Section 79 of IT Act
During the discussions, the government also raised the issue of legal protection available to platforms under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. The government made it clear that social media platforms and intermediaries can claim such protection only if they comply with the due-diligence requirements and other obligations prescribed under the Information Technology Rules, 2021.
The government’s position is that failure to comply with the prescribed rules could affect the legal protection available to a company. In such circumstances, the company could potentially face action under applicable provisions of information technology law and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. However, the final legal liability in any specific case would depend on the facts and applicable legal provisions.
Focus on Deepfakes and AI Content
The government also raised concerns about deepfakes and AI-generated or manipulated content. It stressed the need to strengthen existing systems to prevent the rapid spread of artificially generated or manipulated material that is not appropriately labelled.
Meta has been asked to make necessary changes to its algorithms to identify and control such content. The company has also been asked to provide a roadmap outlining the technical and administrative measures it plans to implement to address these concerns.
Greater Human Oversight and Indian-Language Expertise
The government also questioned excessive reliance on automated systems for content moderation. According to sources, Meta has been asked to increase human oversight and ensure adequate deployment of personnel capable of understanding Indian languages and local contexts.
The government believes that misleading, offensive or unlawful content circulating in Indian languages cannot be effectively identified through automated systems alone. Personnel with knowledge of regional languages and social contexts could play an important role in improving content moderation.
Immediate Action on Child Sexual Abuse Material
The issue of child sexual abuse material and other highly harmful content was also discussed during the meetings. The government asked Meta to strengthen systems for identifying, reporting and removing such material and to ensure timely action on requests from authorised government agencies.
The discussions also covered compliance with data localisation requirements and related procedures. The government asked Meta to strengthen its content moderation mechanisms and improve its ability to respond to unlawful activities on its platforms.
Other Social Media Platforms May Also Face Review
Following discussions with Meta, the central government is preparing to review the policies and systems of other major social media platforms as well. According to sources, legal opinions may also be sought to clarify the responsibilities of platforms and the scope of legal protection available to them.
During the meeting, Meta reportedly provided information about the technology it uses and the proposed measures for identifying and removing harmful and unlawful content. Both sides agreed to continue discussions on the issue.
According to sources, another meeting could take place next week, where the government and Meta may further review measures related to content moderation, algorithmic systems and legal compliance.
