‘No safe harbour if law violated’: Govt’s message to Meta on content moderation

New Delhi: The Indian government has communicated to Meta that it will not receive safe-harbour protection if the company breaches Indian law, especially concerning content moderation and child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to recent discussions between the two parties. Sources cited by news agencies PTI and ANI reported that the government's stance is clear during these talks, emphasizing that Meta's actions will be judged strictly according to India's legal and statutory framework.

It has been conveyed that the government's aim is not to censor social media platforms but to ensure they comply with Indian laws without creating adverse impacts on the nation's social fabric. The discussions also indicate a need for Meta to enhance its content moderation systems' sensitivity to India's linguistic and cultural diversity, given the platform's global user base.

Government officials reiterated the importance of accurately labeling AI-generated content, such as deepfakes, to help users discern authentic material from synthetically produced content, stressing it as a matter of users' right to know. The government's concerns also extend to WhatsApp usernames and Meta's recommendation and virality algorithms, expressing desire for stronger local sensitivity in content moderation and a clear understanding of Indian context in moderation decisions.