US tech giant Meta steps up CSAM curbs in India

Meta is intensifying efforts to curb the spread and reappearance of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) across its platforms in India amid ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The company is working to prevent resurfacing of flagged content, while the government has reiterated that platforms risk losing safe harbour protections if they fail to comply with Indian law.

New Delhi: US-based technology firm Meta is intensifying efforts to curb the spread and reappearance of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) across its platforms in India amid ongoing discussions with the government, according to a report.

NDTV Profit reported that the engagement between the social media company and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has focused on Meta’s handling of illegal content and the broader responsibility of digital platforms to prevent harmful material from resurfacing after it has been identified and removed.

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The tech company is taking steps to address the proliferation of such content and remains particularly cautious because CSAM constitutes a clear violation of Indian law, it added.

In addition, the company is also working to tackle instances where previously flagged material reappears on its platforms.

According to sources — cited in the report — the government has reiterated that platforms will not be entitled to safe harbour protection if they fail to comply with applicable legal requirements. However, officials are not seeking to censor social media platforms and are instead focused on ensuring adherence to Indian laws.

“Platforms need to strike the right balance between social good and harms,” the report said.

It further noted that issues such as addiction and the circulation of exploitative content remain key concerns associated with social media services.

The government has also stressed the importance of cultural context in the formulation and enforcement of content moderation policies in India, sources said.

Moreover, the ministry is exercising its statutory powers sparingly and remains focused on ensuring that platforms fulfil their legal obligations, according to sources.

While intermediaries can potentially lose safe harbour protections for hosting prohibited content, whether such protections apply in any specific case is ultimately a matter for courts to determine based on compliance with prescribed legal conditions.

The discussions come as regulators worldwide increase scrutiny of online platforms over content moderation practices, user safety and compliance with local laws.