Centre Asks Meta to Review Facebook and Instagram Algorithms Over Misleading Content

The Centre has asked Meta to review Facebook and Instagram recommendation algorithms, improve content verification, limit misleading posts and prevent material that could threaten public order.

Centre Asks Meta to Review Facebook and Instagram Algorithms Over Misleading Content

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to review its content recommendation systems and strengthen safeguards against misleading information that could create public disorder or encourage unlawful activities.

In an advisory dated October 10, the ministry asked the company to ensure that its algorithms do not expose users disproportionately to a single narrative or a narrow range of viewpoints. Meta has also been advised to improve the contextual information provided alongside images, videos, graphics and other material related to ongoing public events.

The advisory calls for immediate action and asks Meta to inform the ministry about the measures taken.

Centre Flags Risks From Algorithm-Driven Content Amplification

The advisory expresses concern that Meta’s recommendation and ranking systems could give excessive visibility to potentially misleading, manipulated or out-of-context content.

MeitY has asked the company to review these systems to prevent such material from being repeatedly recommended or amplified to large audiences. It has also encouraged the platform to promote a wider range of relevant and credible information.

According to ministry sources cited by PTI, government agencies had raised concerns that Meta’s platforms appeared to favour certain narratives over others instead of distributing visibility more evenly.

The ministry also noted that some content concerning ongoing public events was being prominently displayed and recommended to users. Such material included videos, photographs, statements and graphics relating to public-order and law-and-order situations.

Meta Asked to Provide Context for Images and Videos

MeitY has emphasised the importance of providing sufficient context when displaying content about current events, particularly when users may not be able to establish its authenticity, date, location or circumstances.

The ministry has highlighted several types of content requiring closer scrutiny:

• Old or unrelated photographs and videos presented as if they show current events.

• Edited visuals that may distort the original context of a situation.

• Unverified claims about emergencies, restrictions, police action or official measures.

• Audio-visual material concerning law-and-order incidents without adequate background information.

• Content that could encourage violence or other unlawful activities.

• Potentially misleading posts that receive disproportionate visibility through recommendation systems.

According to the advisory, the circulation of such material without proper context could increase confusion and anxiety among users and potentially affect public order and social harmony.

Government Seeks Faster Identification and Review of Viral Content

The ministry has called for stronger mechanisms to identify, review and escalate content that gains significant reach through recommendation algorithms.

Particular attention is expected for posts that could trigger widespread confusion, apprehension, violence or disturbances to public order.

The advisory also seeks a review of content-ranking mechanisms to prevent potentially manipulated or misleading material from being repeatedly recommended to users. The objective is to address risks associated not only with the presence of problematic content but also with the scale and speed of its distribution.

Although the advisory does not identify a specific incident as the reason for its issuance, it comes amid protests in Delhi led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition parties. The demonstrations have called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Meta Must Follow IT Act and IT Rules

MeitY has referred to the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology Rules, 2021, while outlining Meta’s responsibilities as an intermediary.

Under the framework cited by the ministry, intermediaries must exercise due diligence and inform users about prohibited information, including material that could cause public disorder or incite certain offences.

The advisory also asks Meta to cooperate promptly with law enforcement agencies and other authorised government bodies. This includes providing information or assistance in accordance with applicable laws and within the timelines prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021.

The ministry has advised Meta to implement the necessary measures with immediate effect and report the action taken.

It has also clarified that steps taken in response to the advisory should remain consistent with the IT Act, the IT Rules and other applicable legal provisions.

Digital Rights Advocate Raises Free Speech Concerns

The advisory has drawn criticism from digital rights advocates over its potential implications for freedom of expression and content moderation.

Apar Gupta, founder-director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, argued that although the advisory is not legally binding, it amounts to a continuing censorship directive.

Gupta called on MeitY to withdraw the advisory and urged Meta to publicly disclose every content takedown and instance of reduced visibility carried out in response to it.

He also questioned the legal basis for terms such as “without adequate context” and references to periods of heightened public-order sensitivity, arguing that these expressions were not tied to a specific provision of the IT Act or IT Rules.

The criticism highlights concerns about how broad content-moderation directions could affect lawful expression, particularly when authorities and platforms must assess whether information is misleading, lacks context or presents a public-order risk.

Meta Faces Balancing Act Between Safety and Free Expression

The Centre’s advisory places renewed attention on the role of social media algorithms in shaping public understanding of unfolding events. Recommendation systems can help users discover relevant information, but the rapid amplification of misleading or manipulated material can also complicate efforts to establish facts during sensitive situations.

For Meta, the challenge will be to address the government’s concerns while complying with applicable laws and protecting legitimate public discussion.

The debate also raises broader questions about transparency in algorithmic decisions, the criteria used to limit content visibility and the safeguards needed to prevent measures against misinformation from unnecessarily restricting lawful speech.

Conclusion

The Centre has asked Meta to strengthen content checks and review Facebook and Instagram algorithms to reduce the disproportionate spread of misleading material that could threaten public order. While the government says the measures aim to encourage responsible information sharing, digital rights advocates have raised concerns about transparency, legal authority and freedom of expression.