The Union Government on Thursday stepped up its scrutiny of Meta's operations in India, signalling a tougher regulatory approach towards global technology companies while unveiling proposals to tighten rules governing artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content and deepfakes.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Wednesday held high-level discussions with Meta's global leadership in the wake of controversy surrounding the temporary removal of one of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's Facebook video. The meeting also focused on broader concerns relating to harmful online content, platform accountability and compliance with Indian laws.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Post-discussions, government officials clarified that digital platforms operating in India must function in accordance with Indian laws rather than foreign legal frameworks.
Officials said, "Platforms can't be run in India as per US law. These are technical matters, every aspect is to be understood. We aim to employ law for the benefit of our society."
Govt underlines legal compliance
Government sources privy to the development said the meeting covered a wide range of issues, including deepfakes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), content moderation, platform accountability and the responsibilities of social media companies towards Indian society.
Officials reiterated that the government is not considering the creation of a separate regulator for social media platforms. Instead, policy decisions will continue to be guided by the Constitution, including the reasonable restrictions permitted under Article 19.
The discussions also delved into technical aspects such as platform logs, with officials underlining the need to preserve public trust as AI-generated content and deepfake technology become increasingly sophisticated.
Meta reiterates apology
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, senior MeitY officials and Meta's global delegation led by Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan were in attendance at the meeting.
Kaplan once again apologised for the erroneous removal of PM Modi's Facebook video, terming the incident a 'technical error'. The meeting came a day after Meta publicly acknowledged the mistake.
Representatives from Facebook and Instagram also briefed government officials on their content moderation mechanisms, algorithmic systems and internal safeguards designed to tackle harmful content.
Officials noted that the Union Government is in regular contact with major digital platforms, including Meta, X and Telegram, to ensure compliance with evolving regulatory expectations.
Draft AI rules propose stricter timelines
Besides its engagement with Meta, MeitY has released draft amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Rules intended to tackle AI-generated misinformation and the growing threat posed by deepfakes.
The proposed amendments would require social media platforms to remove unlawful AI-generated content within three hours of receiving a valid order from a government authority or a court; a huge reduction from the existing 36-hour deadline.
The draft rules also seek mandatory labelling of AI-generated content, quicker grievance redress mechanisms and stronger safeguards against deepfakes, impersonation and other forms of harmful synthetic media.
The proposals have been placed in the public domain for consultation, with the government expected to examine stakeholder feedback before finalising the revised regulatory framework.