Meta Technical team to meet MeitY officials Friday as compliance talks continue: Govt Sources
New Delhi, August 6
Meta's technical team is scheduled to meet officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Friday as the government's engagement with the company on compliance-related issues continues, government sources told.
Meta's global team is expected to remain in India for a few more days, with three to four additional meetings likely to take place, the sources said. They added that the upcoming discussions will also cover issues related to WhatsApp.
According to the sources, the central agenda of the meetings is to assess whether Meta's platforms are complying with Indian laws.
Government sources said digital platforms operating in India cannot function solely according to laws applicable in other jurisdictions and must comply with the country's legal framework.
"These are technical matters, and every aspect has to be understood," the sources said, adding that the objective is to ensure the law is applied for the benefit of society.
The sources said online platforms have a responsibility towards society and must comply with the law like any other institution. They added that the government is not looking at the issue from the perspective of creating a regulator but is focused on enforcing the existing legal framework.
Referring to constitutional provisions, the sources said Article 19 provides for reasonable restrictions while balancing other constitutional rights, including those related to livelihood.
The discussions also come amid growing concerns over the increasing sophistication of deepfakes. Government sources said there has been an improvement in the quality of deepfakes, making them more difficult to detect, and stressed that maintaining public trust is essential.
"Society works on trust, and that trust should be maintained," the sources said.
Officials also said the government remains in regular touch with all major digital platforms, including Meta, X and Telegram, on issues relating to compliance and other technical matters.
The ongoing engagement comes a day after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologised to the Indian government over child sexual abuse material (CSAM), deepfake content and operational lapses on the company's platforms during discussions with government officials, according to sources.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone working in tech, I think this is a delicate balance. While compliance is important, we also need to ensure innovation isn't stifled. The deepfake concern is real though - it's getting scarily realistic these days.
About time! These platforms were ignoring Indian laws for too long. Especially with all the misinformation and fake news spreading during elections. The Zuckerberg apology for CSAM content is just the tip of the iceberg. Need stricter regulations.
I understand India's position on sovereignty and local laws. Every country should have the right to regulate platforms operating within its borders. The deepfake issue is global and needs collective action, not just one country's effort.
The point about public trust is crucial. These platforms have become so integral to our daily lives, yet they don't take responsibility for what happens on them. Hope this meeting brings some concrete changes rather than just talks. 🤞
Fair point about Article 19 - reasonable restrictions are necessary in a democracy. But we also need to be careful about over-regulation. The government should focus on enforcement of existing laws rather than creating new hurdles for businesses.
The CSAM issue is deeply concerning. As a parent, I worry about what children might be exposed
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