Government of India’s firm message to Meta: Must put a stop to the spread of misinformation and edited videos..

Meta is once again under scrutiny by the Indian government. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked the company to review its content recommendation systems on Facebook and Instagram. According to a PTI report, the government has expressed concerns regarding the spread of misleading information, edited images, and videos on these platforms, as well as content that could incite violence or disrupt public order.

The government wants to ensure that Meta’s algorithms do not disproportionately promote a single viewpoint or a limited narrative; instead, they should provide users with relevant, reliable information that reflects diverse perspectives. The Ministry’s advisory reportedly includes six key directives for the company.

Government oversight of content on Facebook and Instagram

According to the PTI report, MeitY has instructed Meta to ensure that its content recommendation systems present users with comprehensive and credible information. The Ministry has emphasized the need to avoid giving excessive visibility to any single viewpoint or repeatedly promoting specific, selective narratives.

The Ministry has also directed the company to strengthen its processes for identifying, reviewing, and—where necessary—escalating content that could cause confusion or fear among the public, or lead to violence and issues concerning public order.

The government has further raised concerns regarding the presentation of old or selectively edited visuals as if they were related to current events. Additionally, the advisory highlights misleading claims concerning emergencies or police actions, as well as videos depicting law-and-order incidents that are presented without adequate context.

Under the advisory, Meta is required to ensure that misleading or altered content is not disproportionately amplified by its recommendation systems and that such posts are not repeatedly shown to users.

Directives to comply with Indian laws
According to the report, MeitY has reminded Meta of its obligations to comply with Indian laws. It references the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology Rules, 2021.

The company has also been asked to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and authorized government entities, which includes providing necessary information or assistance within a specified timeframe.

What are the six directives for Meta?
According to the key points of the advisory mentioned in the report, Meta has been asked to take action in the following areas:

Identifying and taking action against prohibited and illegal content.
Reviewing the content recommendation systems of Facebook and Instagram.
Preventing misleading content from gaining disproportionately high reach.
Strengthening systems to prevent old or edited visuals from being circulated as current events.

Rapidly identifying and reviewing content that could incite violence, instill fear, or disrupt public order.
Cooperating with authorized government entities and law enforcement agencies—as mandated by Indian law—within a specified timeframe.

Overall, based on the information in the report, this advisory reflects the government's increasing oversight of Meta’s content moderation and recommendation systems. Its objective is to limit the spread of misleading information on social media and ensure that users are presented with more reliable content.