Government examines if Meta recommendation system deciding 'what-to-show-to-whom' fits intermediary status
If a platform determines what content gets shown to users, it amounts to publishing, and platforms would then have to take responsibility for their actions. The issue assumes significance as intermediaries enjoy certain legal protections under the Act, subject to compliance with prescribed conditions.
Government officials are scrutinizing Meta's recommendation systems and paid content promotion to determine if the tech giant should be classified as an intermediary under the Information Technology Act. The key concern is whether Meta complies with IT Act provisions or functions as a publisher by deciding what content is shown to whom.
If Meta's systems determine content visibility and promote content for payment, it may imply a shift from intermediary status to that of a publisher, entailing greater legal responsibilities. Intermediaries enjoy safe harbour protections under Section 79 of the IT Act, provided they meet certain conditions. The government has also sought measures to tackle deepfakes, following numerous discussions with Meta.
Meta has been pressed on deepfakes, child sexual abuse material, synthetic content, and recommendation system functioning. The government aims to ensure compliance with Indian laws without censorship, seeking sustained actions and improvements from Meta.
Written by urgent.news from Economic Times Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
