The company's India head, Arun Srinivas, has been summoned by the child rights body on Thursday.
Meta has agreed to report child safety-related matters, including child sexual abuse cases, to appropriate law enforcement agencies in India, government sources confirmed, emphasising that online safety for children is a "non-negotiable" fundamental principle for social media platforms operating in the country.
Government sources state that Meta, due to its algorithmic amplification of content, can no longer be considered a "simple intermediary" but rather a "service provider," implying greater responsibility and potential loss of legal immunity. This shift comes as Meta commits to directly reporting child abuse content to Indian law enforcement, amidst increasing government scrutiny over harmful online content and algorithmic bias.
'Details of accounts such as the name, email id associated with the account, the IP address will now be shared with law enforcement agencies, which will help track down offenders faster.'
Meta has restricted access in India to a viral AI-generated video depicting Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan dancing with KSEB officials. The video, which garnered 1.78 crore views, was restricted following a legal request, though the creators believe it wasn't due to the CM's objection, as he had previously expressed excitement about it.
Senior executives from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, appeared before India's child rights body, NCPCR, for questioning regarding alleged advertisements promoting child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM) on its platforms. This follows a BBC report and a stern notice from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to Meta over the issue.
Top Meta India executives, including chief Arun Srinivas, appeared before the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for the second time in a week regarding alleged Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) related advertisements on its platforms. Meta has committed to reporting child safety matters directly to India's I4C cybercrime portal, a significant shift from its previous practice of reporting to a US-based centre. The government is pushing for stronger safeguards and accountability from social media platforms to ensure online child safety.
The Delhi High Court has directed Meta Platforms to immediately remove objectionable deepfake content featuring a woman's morphed picture with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The court also ordered the Delhi Police to provide complete protection to the victim, who reported receiving threats to her life.
The Indian IT Ministry has engaged in 'hard talk' with Meta regarding child sexual abuse material (CSAM), leading to increased sensitivity and action from the tech giant. The government asserts that Indian laws must be followed and social media harms mitigated, with no safe harbour for violations. Discussions also covered AI labelling and the WhatsApp username issue, highlighting a global concern over social media harms.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has claimed his social media account was restricted in India by Meta, with no clear reason provided. He questioned Meta's actions and linked it to political pressure.
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg has issued an apology for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post, while company executives acknowledged significant content moderation failures, including issues with child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, and the paid boosting of certain content.
The Indian government is questioning whether Meta's recommendation systems and paid content promotion align with its status as an intermediary under the IT Act, raising concerns about the company's liability for content it actively decides to show users.
Meta's global team met with top Indian IT Ministry officials following government summons regarding the temporary restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post and ongoing concerns about child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its platforms.
The government is questioning the visiting Meta team on whether the company is adhering to the law of the land, following summons to the social media giant over temporary restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post recently, sources said on Thursday.
The Indian government has summoned Meta's global head of public policy after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post, addressing youth and promising action against paper leaks, was temporarily removed. Meta attributed the removal to a 'glitch' in its automated content filters, an explanation the government deems insufficient, demanding further discussions.
Meta wrote to the government on Wednesday outlining the specifics of enhanced and rigorous safeguards it has now implemented for content posted by the Prime Minister and other prominent accounts, according to sources.
India's IT Secretary S Krishnan announced an upcoming meeting with Meta's global team to address critical issues including lapses in tackling Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), the temporary restriction of PM Modi's Facebook post, and concerns over synthetically generated information. The government expects Meta, as a leading tech company, to have robust systems to manage these challenges effectively.
The government on Tuesday summoned a top Meta executive after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent post addressing India's youth and promising stringent measures against paper leaks was briefly restricted by Facebook, and although the US-headquartered social media giant blamed it on a technical glitch and apologised, the IT Ministry found the explanation "inadequate".
Meta's new Muse Image AI generator, which can create AI images from public Instagram accounts without explicit consent, has sparked significant privacy concerns and criticism over its 'opt-in-by-default' approach, raising fears of deepfakes and online impersonation.
India's IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to summon Meta regarding Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material, following a BBC investigation. This action comes shortly after the government also questioned Meta about WhatsApp's planned username feature, citing concerns over increased online fraud and cybercrimes.
Hyderabad Cyber Crime police have taken action against Meta's India head and several social media account operators, registering cases for allegedly circulating morphed and objectionable content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi amidst the ongoing NEET paper leak agitation.
The government has issued a stern notice to Meta on Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) in paid advertisements on Instagram, sources said on Sunday.
Meta on Tuesday published a detailed blog outlining its efforts to combat child sexual abuse material across its apps, citing AI-powered detection, ad review systems and large-scale enforcement actions, days after the government issued a notice to the social media giant over reports of Instagram advertisements promoting such content.
The Indian government has issued a notice to Meta regarding WhatsApp's upcoming username feature, warning the platform not to roll it out until concerns about potential fraud, impersonation, and public safety are addressed to the government's satisfaction.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has filed a civil suit against Meta, X Corp, Google LLC, and unknown persons in the Bombay High Court over "defamatory" deepfakes and AI-generated posts concerning the ethanol policy. The court will hear the matter on August 5, with Gadkari seeking a permanent injunction and immediate takedown of the fake content, which he claims has harmed his reputation.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has received permission from the Bombay High Court to file a civil suit against Meta Platforms, X Corp, Google LLC, and other unknown entities for allegedly circulating 'defamatory' deepfakes and AI-generated content against him.
Meta has partnered with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) to construct its first AI-powered data centre in India, a 168-megawatt facility located in Jamnagar, marking a significant milestone in Meta's global infrastructure expansion and deepening its strategic partnership with Reliance.
Search engine major Google will also start sharing details of child sexual abuse cases and repeat offenders with the cybercrime division of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Meerut Police swiftly intervened to save a 25-year-old man's life after Meta flagged his Instagram post indicating self-harm. The police responded within eight minutes, getting him to a hospital. This incident highlights the ongoing coordination mechanism between Uttar Pradesh Police and Meta, which has successfully saved over 3,000 lives since 2023 by acting on social media suicide alerts.
Major US technology companies, Meta and LinkedIn, are undergoing significant workforce restructuring, with Meta planning to lay off 8,000 employees while shifting 7,000 into AI-focused roles, and LinkedIn cutting over 600 jobs across various departments.
A Delhi court has permitted the prosecution to record the testimonies of four foreign-based nodal officers from WhatsApp, Google, and Bumble via video conferencing in the Shraddha Walkar murder case. This decision aims to prevent undue delays and exorbitant expenses associated with securing their physical presence, facilitating an expeditious trial. The testimonies are scheduled to begin in December 2026, with specific protocols for identity verification and secure proceedings.
Fintech platform CRED announced a significant funding round of Rs 8,550 crore led by Meta, coinciding with founder Kunal Shah's departure as CEO to take on the global leadership role for WhatsApp.
Notorious gangster Mainpal Dhilla, currently jailed, was granted 12-hour custody parole to marry his Cambodian partner, Meta Chan, in Jhajjar. Dhilla had met Chan in Cambodia after fleeing India in 2018 using a fake identity, where they had children. He was extradited last year after an international operation involving CBI and Interpol.
Jio Platforms Ltd's initial public offering (IPO), anticipated to be India's largest, is scheduled to open for subscription on October 21 and close on October 23, with reservations for employees and Reliance Industries Ltd shareholders.
'We take steps to filter this data to protect people's privacy and to help prevent identifying information from being reviewed.'
The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Election Commission and its chief regarding a plea by Sanjay Raut and 12 others, including Rahul Gandhi, concerning alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions. The court provisionally entertained Raut's petition but stated he would need to explain his conduct, while also addressing allegations of attempts to 'browbeat' the judiciary.
Digital services major Jio Platforms is anticipated to list on the stock exchange by the end of October, with an estimated enterprise valuation of USD 143-146 billion, making it India's largest public offer at around USD 3.8 billion.
Jio Platforms, the digital arm of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), is launching its initial public offering (IPO) with a price band of 1,065-1,119 a share, aiming to make RIL a net-debt-free company and create long-term shareholder value.
Google's Gemini reportedly hacked three companies in the first known breakout, after the model accessed the internet and breached external systems during an evaluation of its cybersecurity capabilities.
Government departments requested social media platforms to remove 2.44 lakh pieces of content between March and July, with states initiating 82% of these requests. The IT Intermediaries Rules 2021 were amended to reduce takedown time to three hours. The PIB Fact Check unit clarified its role in content moderation, refuting claims of automated blocking by Meta and emphasising the need to address lawlessness in cyberspace.
