Govt, Meta to hold fresh talks on algorithms, content moderation amid regulatory scrutiny
New Delhi, Aug 6
The Union government is set to continue its engagement with Meta in the coming days, with discussions expected to focus on the functioning of the social media giant's recommendation algorithms and content moderation systems as India steps up oversight of digital platforms.
The next phase of talks is expected to focus on the technical functioning of Meta's recommendation algorithms and content moderation mechanisms, amid growing concerns over the spread of harmful content, deepfakes and child sexual abuse material online, according to government sources cited by NDTV Profit.
Officials said Meta's global team will remain engaged with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to examine how the company's algorithms recommend content to users and how its moderation systems align with Indian laws and regulatory requirements.
As part of the ongoing engagement, Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is also likely to meet Meta representatives later on Thursday, sources said.
The discussions form part of the government's wider push to ensure that social media intermediaries strengthen safeguards against misuse of their platforms while remaining compliant with Indian regulations.
This came after a day when Meta apologised for the temporary restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post, with the company's Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan saying the apology was conveyed directly to Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
"I apologised to the minister on behalf of Meta for the error restricting PM Modi's post," Kaplan said in a statement shared by the company with NDTV on Wednesday.
Kaplan was part of a global Meta delegation that met Vaishnaw on Wednesday, during which the company acknowledged lapses in the functioning of its platforms.
The delegation also held separate discussions with IT Secretary S. Krishnan ahead of the ministerial meeting.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The apology to PM Modi was long overdue. But honestly, we need more than apologies—we need concrete changes. Deepfakes and CSAM are a serious menace, and if Meta can't police its own platform, the government must step in.
I appreciate the government's proactive approach, but let's not forget that Indian platforms like ShareChat and Koo exist too. Why give foreign giants all the attention? We should also invest in our own digital ecosystem. Just saying.
Finally, some accountability! The way Meta allows fake news to spread, especially during elections, is scary. I hope these talks lead to stricter rules and better algorithms that don't push polarizing content just for engagement.
Good move by the government, but I'm skeptical. Meta will just tweak a few policies and continue business as usual. The real issue is that algorithms are designed for profit, not for social good. We need independent audits, not just meetings.
As someone who's studied content moderation, this is a step in the right direction. But the global tech giants need to understand that India isn't just a market—it's a diverse democracy with specific sensitivities. Glad to see the government holding firm.
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