Overview
- MeitY sent a targeted advisory dated October 10 to Meta, asking the company to implement six measures that include reviewing recommendation and ranking systems so misleading, manipulated or out‑of‑context material is not disproportionately amplified or repeatedly recommended.
- The ministry singled out five content types for special attention: old or selectively edited visuals presented as current, unverified claims about emergency measures, audiovisuals lacking context, material likely to incite violence, and content gaining disproportionate reach through recommendations.
- Unlike an earlier October 8 guidance, the October 10 note asks Meta to act “with immediate effect” and to apprise MeitY of the steps taken, and it explicitly links the advisory to due‑diligence obligations under the IT Act and the IT Rules, 2021.
- Meta has not publicly detailed any response to the advisory, and digital‑rights groups and some creators say platform actions tied to government pressure have already led to account restrictions and opaque moderation decisions.
- The advisory sharpens official scrutiny of algorithmic amplification during protests and raises questions about transparency and free expression because it is an administrative instruction that is not itself legally binding and could prompt wider demands for disclosure of takedowns, downranking and platform fixes.