Centre asks Meta for algorithm changes to curb ‘propaganda’ and ‘deepfakes’
New Delhi: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked Meta to submit a detailed compliance roadmap explaining how it plans to strengthen content moderation and prevent the spread of deepfakes, propaganda and other unlawful content.
The direction was issued during a meeting between senior government officials and Meta representatives, where the company presented its existing systems for tackling harmful online content.
Government seeks algorithm changes
According to government sources, Meta has been directed to make algorithmic changes to reduce the spread of manipulated content, AI-generated deepfakes and online propaganda. Officials also asked the company to comply with India's data localisation requirements and speed up the removal of content flagged by authorised government agencies.
The government wants social media platforms to proactively strengthen safeguards against misinformation while ensuring compliance with Indian laws.
Closer coordination with government teams
The Centre has also instructed Meta to establish close coordination with Quick Response Teams (QRTs) across various government departments. The objective is to enable faster identification and removal of deepfake videos, morphed images and misleading content before they spread widely online.
Officials believe closer coordination between platforms and government agencies will improve real-time responses to misinformation and reduce the impact of harmful content.
Meta to continue discussions
The latest meeting comes after Meta reportedly acknowledged shortcomings in some of its recommendation algorithms during discussions with MeitY. Government sources said the talks focused on improving platform accountability and addressing compliance issues under Indian regulations.
Meta's global technical team is expected to remain in India for further consultations, with additional meetings planned to discuss the implementation of the proposed measures.
The government's latest directions are part of a broader effort to strengthen oversight of digital platforms as artificial intelligence makes it easier to create convincing fake images, videos and audio.
Authorities have emphasised that technology companies must deploy stronger safeguards, improve transparency and respond quickly to requests from authorised agencies to prevent the misuse of AI-generated content.