‘Message has gone home’: Govt presses Meta on CSAM, WhatsApp username row

New Delhi: The government's hard talk with Meta has led to action and increased sensitivity on the issue of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), IT Ministry sources said on Tuesday, adding that the Centre has been unequivocal that such content is a clear violation and there is no safe harbour when law is violated in this manner.

Sources said the government's intent is not about censorship or restricting coverage in any way, but ensuring Indian laws and norms are followed and that social media harms are mitigated. "The message has gone home," they said.

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During discussions, Meta explained how its algorithms and systems work, ministry sources said, noting that discussions are on and such matters involve "judgment calls, and tweaks".

On the WhatsApp username row, sources said the matter is under examination as it doesn't involve just that particular platform, but other messaging apps as well.

Sources said concerns over social media harms is not something specific only to India, it is a concern shared by other nations including Australia, the UK and France.

Platforms have a responsibility to address social media harms and strike the right balance, sources asserted.

On AI labelling, the ministry official said the law is clear that synthetically generated content must be labelled, and that responsibility lies at three levels, including with platforms. Platforms must comply accordingly, they added. PTI