# Govt asks if Meta’s algorithm makes it publisher under IT Act 2026-08-08T08:46:12+00:00 | Technology | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The government is examining whether Meta's recommendation systems and paid content promotion breach its intermediary status under the IT Act, sources told PTI. If platforms decide what content is shown to whom, it is akin to publishing and they must take responsibility, the sources said. Section 79 of the IT Act grants intermediaries a safe harbour from liability for third-party content, subject to due diligence. The government will review its engagements with Meta before seeking a legal opinion, and plans to question other platforms. Separately, the government has asked Meta to address deepfakes, child sexual abuse material, and unlabelled synthetic content. Officials want more human oversight in content moderation and better understanding of Indian languages. Meta's team, led by global affairs head Joel Kaplan, met IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and IT Secretary S Krishnan this week. The company assured it is working hard on these concerns. ## Coverage - deccanherald.com - livemint.com - rediff.com Tags: content regulation, IT Act, Meta, recommendation algorithm, safe harbour, Section 79 Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/centre-examines-if-metas-algorithm-fits-intermediary-status/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/centre-examines-if-metas-algorithm-fits-intermediary-status/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.