- Centre summons Meta’s global leadership for a meeting next week.
- MeitY raises concerns over algorithmic bias, public order and CSAM.
- Government seeks a technical representative from Instagram to explain its systems.
- Meta representatives are also expected to appear before a parliamentary panel.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 31st July: The Centre has summoned Meta’s global leadership, including Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan, for a meeting next week as the government steps up scrutiny of the social media giant over alleged algorithmic bias, public order concerns and the handling of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Officials familiar with the matter said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has conveyed concerns to Meta over content that could affect public order, posts that allegedly fail to meet even the company’s own community standards and the handling of CSAM across its platforms.
The dates for the meeting are being finalised.
Instagram Technical Representative Called
The government has specifically asked Meta to send a technical representative from Instagram, indicating that officials intend to seek detailed explanations about the functioning of the platform’s algorithms and systems.
The discussions are expected to cover allegations of algorithmic bias, recommendation systems, content moderation mechanisms and the broader impact of Meta-owned platforms on public order.
“If they operate in India, which is their largest market, they will have to follow Indian law,” an official familiar with the matter said.
Safe Harbour Protections Under Scrutiny
Officials have also indicated that the presence and handling of certain categories of unlawful content could have implications for Meta’s safe harbour protections under Indian law.
Safe harbour provisions provide intermediaries certain legal protections over third-party content, subject to compliance with applicable legal obligations.
The government is expected to question Meta on how its recommendation algorithms surface content, how moderation decisions are taken and what safeguards are deployed to prevent potentially unlawful or harmful material from spreading.
Public Order, CSAM Among Key Concerns
MeitY’s concerns reportedly extend beyond individual posts to the manner in which Meta’s systems recommend, amplify and moderate content.
The handling of child sexual abuse material is expected to figure prominently in the discussions, alongside content considered capable of affecting public order.
Officials are also expected to seek clarity on whether Meta’s content moderation mechanisms adequately enforce its own community standards and comply with Indian legal requirements.
Meta May Face Parliamentary Panel
Separately, Meta representatives are also expected to appear before a parliamentary panel, adding another layer of scrutiny of the technology company’s operations in India.
The developments signal increased government attention on the accountability of major social media platforms, particularly over their algorithms, content moderation practices and compliance with Indian laws.
