The government has clarified that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) did not direct Meta to completely overhaul its algorithm, but stressed that the social media giant must ensure its platforms comply with Indian law.
Government sources told Times Now that Meta cannot rely solely on its global policies while operating in India. Officials also highlighted the need for greater local understanding, particularly when it comes to Indian languages, culture and the way content is moderated.
The clarification came after a meeting between Meta’s technical team and MeitY officials on Friday. Discussions focused on how the company handles harmful and synthetically generated content online.
Government raises concerns over harmful content
Officials maintained that there would be “zero tolerance and zero compromise” on Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Sources said Meta needs to take stronger and more proactive measures against such content, with the government seeking concrete action rather than assurances.
Deepfakes involving prominent personalities were another key concern. Officials pointed out that content uploaded through authorised or verified accounts should not automatically be treated as manipulated material.
The government also called for a "human-in-the-loop" mechanism so that sensitive cases can receive proper human review before content is removed.
Focus on deepfakes and recommendation algorithms
MeitY also questioned Meta about the repeated appearance of synthetically generated content that had already been identified and removed as deepfakes.
Officials sought details on what systems Meta has in place to stop such material from resurfacing or being promoted again. They also raised questions about the platform’s recommendation and virality algorithms.
According to the sources, officials questioned why users are often shown content that does not match their stated interests and why synthetic content continues to be amplified.
The government’s position was that once such content has been flagged, it should not continue to be recommended or repeatedly reappear on the platform.
More talks expected next week
Meta’s technical team explained its existing systems for dealing with harmful online content during Friday’s meeting. However, discussions between the company and the ministry are continuing.
Both sides have agreed to hold further talks, with another round of meetings expected in the coming week.