Now Reading: Govt questions if Meta’s algorithms violate its intermediary status
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Govt questions if Meta’s algorithms violate its intermediary status
The government has questioned Meta on whether its recommendation systems and paid content promotion fit the legal definition of an intermediary under the IT Act. Sources told The Hindu that the key…
The Story in Brief
The government has questioned Meta on whether its recommendation systems and paid content promotion fit the legal definition of an intermediary under the IT Act. Sources told The Hindu that the key issue is whether a platform that decides 'what content is shown to whom' crosses into the role of a publisher. If so, Meta could lose Section 79's safe harbour from liability for third-party content, exposing it to legal action including under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
This week, the government grilled Meta's global team, led by Joel Kaplan, on deepfakes, child sexual abuse material, and unlabelled AI content. Meta apologised for temporarily removing a post by PM Modi and admitted 'serious issues,' promising sustained action. The Centre plans to review Meta's progress and may seek a legal opinion, while also engaging other platforms on similar questions. A follow-up meeting is expected next week.
The Indian Opinion
The government is right to test whether Meta is a neutral intermediary or a publisher. If a platform actively curates feeds and promotes paid content, it cannot hide behind Section 79's safe harbour. The real test lies ahead: will the Ministry of Law give a clear legal opinion, or will this remain another round of meetings without binding rules? The number of flagged but still-circulating deepfakes is the metric that will show if Meta is serious or just buying time.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
