Govt asks Meta to stop amplifying out-of-context content that expose users to limited set of narratives

The IT Ministry has advised Meta to review its content recommendation algorithms to prevent disproportionate amplification of misleading, manipulated or out-of-context social media posts that could affect public order.

In an advisory dated October 10, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) asked Meta to exercise enhanced diligence in surfacing and recommending content, particularly during periods of heightened public-order sensitivity.

The advisory flags videos, images, statements and graphics relating to ongoing public events and law-and-order situations that, when presented without adequate context or amplified disproportionately, could contribute to public confusion, apprehension and disturbance of social tranquillity.

"... ensure that recommendation systems do not result in disproportionate exposure of users to a single or limited set of narratives, and endeavour to provide appropriate diversity of relevant and credible information," it said

While the advisory did not identify any specific incident, it came amid protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition parties demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

According to a PTI report citing IT Ministry sources, the government had received inputs from agencies that Meta platforms were not promoting all narratives equally, with their algorithms appearing to favour one kind of content over others.

The ministry has asked Meta to review its recommendation and content-ranking mechanisms to ensure potentially misleading, manipulated or out-of-context material is not disproportionately amplified or repeatedly recommended to users.

It has also advised the company to provide adequate context for photographs, videos and other content depicting ongoing public events, particularly where their authenticity, date, location or circumstances may not be readily apparent.

The advisory identifies several categories requiring particular attention, including old or unrelated visuals presented as current events, unverified claims about emergency measures or police action, audiovisual material lacking context, and content likely to incite violence or other unlawful activity.

Meta has also been advised to strengthen mechanisms for rapidly identifying, reviewing and escalating content that gains significant reach through recommendation systems and could trigger widespread public confusion, violence or a disturbance of public order.

However, the advisory also states that measures taken should not unnecessarily restrict lawful civic and public discourse, while false, misleading, manipulated or otherwise unlawful content with the potential to adversely affect public order should be appropriately addressed.

Apar Gupta, founder-director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, a digital rights advocacy group, said that while it was not legally binding, it amounted to a "continuing censorship directive".

MeitY must withdraw this advisory forthwith, and Meta must publicly disclose every takedown and every act of downranking carried out under it, he said.

"Even this advisory, which contains phrases like content 'without adequate context' and periods of 'heightened public-order sensitivity ', is not tied to any provision of the IT Act or the IT Rules," he said.