Meta promises stronger action on CSAM, deepfakes after meeting with Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi: Meta committed to strengthening measures to curb child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and deepfake content on its platforms during a meeting with electronics and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on compliance with Indian laws on Thursday, people familiar with the matter said.

Senior Meta officials led by global chief policy officer Joel Kaplan met Vaishnaw to discuss the technical aspects of compliance. Technical meetings will continue and the company has been told it will have to follow the law of the land, officials stressed.


"Social media networks will have to comply with Indian laws. Companies cannot operate in India and cite laws of US or other foreign lands," a government official said.

He added that the government would need to ascertain if platforms are responsible for the paid content they run.

The government will also evaluate the additional measures put in place by Meta, to see if they can effectively address the Centre's concerns regarding content moderation, following Meta's temporary restriction of the PM's post on Facebook last month, officials added.

The Centre wants assurance from Meta that official profiles of prominent personalities in India would be ring-fenced. Once an account is verified, the government does not want its content to be removed on flimsy grounds or due to algorithmic mistakes.

Sources said Meta officials have explained the new protocol adopted by the company for accounts of prominent persons since July 28.