Meta ramps up censorship of protest, political reels

Meta is intensifying its censorship of protest and political content on Instagram following tense discussions between the company's leadership and the Indian Union government. Prominent figures affected include Indian Youth Congress, Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, and news portal Scroll.in.

Instagram's parent company, Meta, has faced pressure over its recommendation algorithm, with the government linking amplified anti-establishment social media content to recent youth protests that led to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

Screenshots of blocked posts in India cited the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2021, indicating the use of a takedown mechanism. While many reels remain on Meta's platform, numerous have been removed, including some with millions of views. Users on X reported that protest-related content on Instagram is now appearing less frequently. CJP's Saurav Das questioned the ban, calling it unconstitutional and illegal, and appealed to Meta not to succumb to government pressure.

Meta has not responded to inquiries about the censorship. Government and police agencies have previously bolstered their censorship of Instagram posts. X allows many posts reported under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000 to remain on the platform, as these notices do not carry criminal liability. However, Meta automatically complies with such requests, granting the government swift censorship capabilities.

Critics, including Pranesh Prakash, a co-founder of the Centre for Internet and Society, argue that Meta's automatic compliance with Section 79(3)(b) is problematic, as platforms are only held accountable when content reaches court, which is rare. Prakash stated that Meta should fight for its users rather than remove content it is legally not required to remove.

These actions are taking place at an unprecedented rate and impacting a wide range of content. An early viral clip with over one crore views, featuring Students’ Federation of India activist Sakhi mocking police announcements, has also been taken down. On August 6, several Facebook posts by Kejriwal were restricted. Kejriwal has been criticizing the government's ethanol blending policy for fuel. Many Section 79(3)(b) requests are filed through the government's Sahyog portal.

The Software Freedom Law Centre of India (SFLC) stated that the Sahyog Portal creates a parallel system for content removal without the safeguards present under Section 69A of the IT Act. This heightened responsibility on platforms to ensure transparent, consistent, and safeguarded moderation processes is emphasized by the digital advocacy group.