The 72-hour crisis that could upend Meta’s business in India as firm risks losing legal protection
U.S. social media giant Meta is facing increasing pressure from Indian regulators, including demands to revoke the firm's safe harbor immunity in the country.
Meta Platforms is facing a potential crisis in India after regulators demanded an apology from CEO Mark Zuckerberg within three days for blocking a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This incident follows previous concerns over child-abuse content and deepfake material on the platform. The parliamentary panel warns that if the safe harbor immunity is withdrawn, Meta would become liable for user-generated content.
India is a crucial market for Meta, with billions of users on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. While Meta claims the post was blocked due to an error, the government has accused the company of misusing safe harbor protection. The company is attempting to assuage concerns by meeting with Indian officials and making an apology. Experts suggest that the loss of safe harbor protection would expose Meta to significant legal and regulatory risks, but a change in the broader legal framework would be required to revoke the protection entirely.
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