Govt asks Meta to review Facebook and Instagram recommendation systems

New Delhi, October 19 (IANS): The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked technology giant firm Meta to review the content recommendation and ranking systems that power Facebook and Instagram, stepping up regulatory scrutiny of how social media algorithms amplify information in India, according to multiple reports.In an advisory issued to the company, the ministry had asked Meta to ensure that its recommendation systems do not lead to the disproportionate exposure of users to a single or limited set of narratives and instead provide greater access to diverse, relevant and credible information, according to them.The ministry also directed Meta to strengthen mechanisms for rapidly identifying, reviewing and escalating content that gains significant reach through recommendation systems when such material has the potential to contribute to public confusion, violence or disruption of public order.Apart from that, the US-based company has been asked to implement the measures immediately and inform the government of the action taken.The advisory specifically highlights photographs, videos and graphics related to ongoing public events where the authenticity, timing, location or surrounding circumstances may be unclear.It calls for additional context where old or unrelated visuals are presented as current, where footage has been selectively edited or where unverified claims are made regarding emergencies, police action or other official measures.Additionally, this marks the latest escalation in the government's scrutiny of Meta's moderation and recommendation systems.Earlier in August, government officials questioned Meta executives over content recommendation algorithms, deepfakes, synthetic media and safeguards against unlawful content.Meta has separately tightened content and advertising safeguards following concerns related to child sexual exploitation material.The company said earlier this month it deployed new AI-driven advertising review systems and removed 5.3 million pieces of child sexual exploitation content in India during January-June 2026, with more than 98% detected proactively.