TNIE online desk
The immediate trigger for the Centre’s tougher questioning was the temporary restriction of a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 23. The post, which dealt with students, youth and action against examination paper leaks, was reportedly restricted for around five hours. Meta’s global affairs chief Joel Kaplan later apologised, saying it was an error.
Against this backdrop, the Centre questioned Meta’s global team on whether its platforms comply with Indian laws and constitutional requirements. The government made it clear that platforms operating in India must adhere to the country’s legal framework rather than rely solely on standards followed in other jurisdictions.
Officials sought details on how Instagram’s recommendation algorithms function and whether their design ensures fairness and transparency. Meta explained the parameters and mechanisms used in its content-ranking systems.
Further discussions are expected between Meta’s technical executives and the government’s technical team. The Centre is currently not proposing a separate social-media regulator but is seeking greater accountability from platforms over their algorithms, moderation systems and compliance with Indian law.
The government also pressed Meta on safeguards against deepfakes, child sexual abuse material, bot accounts and other synthetic or harmful content. Questions were also raised about whether paid promotions could amplify content capable of causing public disorder.