The Central government has stepped up its scrutiny of Meta, summoning the company’s Global Head of Public Policy, Joel Kaplan, and a senior Instagram technical official for meetings on August 5 and 6. The discussions are expected to focus on how Meta’s algorithms function, why certain content gains greater visibility than others, and whether the social media giant is complying with Indian laws governing online platforms.
The meetings come amid growing concerns over content moderation, political content amplification, child safety, AI-generated misinformation, and the platform’s handling of high-profile accounts.
Government seeks clarity on Meta’s algorithms
According to reports, officials will seek detailed explanations about Meta’s recommendation systems and the factors that determine the reach of posts on Facebook and Instagram.
The Centre is understood to be examining whether the company’s algorithms disproportionately amplify certain categories of political content while suppressing others. Officials are also expected to question Meta on the safeguards in place to prevent wrongful takedowns of content and to understand how its automated moderation systems operate.
The government has reportedly asked Meta to submit a written explanation regarding the “technical glitch” that led to the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook post. It is also likely to seek a formal written apology from the company over the incident.
PM Modi’s Facebook post under scrutiny
The issue traces back to July 23, when a selfie video uploaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefly removed from Facebook before being restored.
In the video, the Prime Minister addressed student protests and assured strict action against those responsible for examination paper leaks.
Meta later acknowledged that the removal was inadvertent and attributed it to a technical error. However, the explanation has not fully satisfied the government, which now wants a detailed account of what caused the failure and how similar incidents can be prevented in the future.
Child safety, AI-generated content on the agenda
The upcoming meetings will also cover Meta’s compliance with Indian regulations concerning Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM). The Centre had previously issued a notice to the company after concerns were raised over the appearance of such content in advertisements on Instagram.
IT Secretary S. Krishnan confirmed that child safety measures would form a key part of the discussions. Officials are expected to seek details on the mechanisms Meta has implemented to detect, remove and prevent the circulation of exploitative content across its platforms.
Artificial intelligence-generated misinformation is another major issue under review.
Authorities are expected to ask Meta about the safeguards it has introduced to identify and curb manipulated content, particularly deepfakes and AI-generated videos that could mislead users.
Meta also faces legal scrutiny over AI videos
Meta is simultaneously facing legal action over the circulation of allegedly AI-generated morphed videos of Prime Minister Modi on Facebook and Instagram.
The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police recently registered an FIR against Meta India head Arun Srinivas and several social media users in connection with the case.
Investigators are examining the origin of the manipulated videos, how they spread across Meta’s platforms, and whether the company’s moderation systems were adequate to prevent their amplification. Authorities are also examining possible violations under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
Wider regulatory review underway
The August 5-6 meetings are part of a broader regulatory review of Meta’s operations in India as the government intensifies oversight of major digital platforms.
Besides the removal of the Prime Minister’s post, discussions are expected to cover political content moderation, algorithmic accountability, compliance with Indian law, AI-generated misinformation, and the effectiveness of Meta’s content moderation systems.
The outcome of the meetings could shape the next phase of the Centre’s engagement with Meta and signal how India intends to regulate large social media platforms as concerns over transparency, online safety and platform accountability continue to grow.
