Key Highlights

  • New advisory: MeitY has asked Meta to review the recommendation and ranking systems behind Facebook and Instagram, according to multiple reports.
  • Balanced feeds: Users should not be shown only one or a few narratives, but diverse, relevant and credible information.
  • Viral content checks: Meta must quickly flag and review widely spread content that could cause confusion, violence or public disorder.
  • Misleading visuals: Old, edited or out-of-context photos and videos about live events need added context.
  • Immediate action: Meta has been asked to act at once and report back to the government.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked Meta to review the systems that decide what users see on Facebook and Instagram, according to multiple reports. The move marks a shift in regulatory focus, from simply removing harmful posts to questioning how platforms choose which posts to spread in the first place.

What the Advisory Says

In its advisory, the ministry asked Meta to ensure its recommendation systems do not expose users disproportionately to a single or limited set of narratives. Instead, users should get access to diverse, relevant and credible information.

Meta has also been directed to strengthen systems to quickly identify, review and escalate content that gains large reach through recommendations, especially when it could contribute to public confusion, violence or disruption of public order. The company has been asked to implement the measures immediately and inform the government of the action taken.

The Problem of Misleading Visuals

The advisory specifically points to photos, videos and graphics linked to ongoing public events, where the authenticity, timing, location or circumstances may be unclear. It calls for additional context when old or unrelated visuals are presented as current, when footage is selectively edited, or when unverified claims are made about emergencies, police action or official measures.

In simple words, a years-old video shared as “happening now” during a tense situation is exactly the kind of content the government wants flagged faster.

A Pattern of Growing Scrutiny

This is the latest step in a months-long tightening of oversight. In August, government officials questioned Meta executives over recommendation algorithms, deepfakes, synthetic media and safeguards against unlawful content.

Earlier, in July 2026, a BBC investigation reported that paid Instagram ads in India were promoting child sexual abuse material, with its test showing how recommendation systems contributed to the problem. MeitY then issued a notice to Meta on the matter.

Meta said earlier this month it had deployed new AI-driven ad 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.

Why It Matters

Recommendation engines decide much of what millions of Indians see every day. Legal experts note growing attention to whether these systems themselves help harmful content spread, a question with major legal consequences. Some officials have argued that safe harbour protections may not apply when algorithms actively recommend illegal content rather than just host it.

For users, the advisory could mean more context labels on viral posts and possibly more varied feeds. For Meta, it raises the cost and complexity of operating in one of its biggest markets.

What Comes Next

All eyes are now on Meta’s action-taken report to the government. How the company responds may also set the tone for how other platforms, from YouTube to X, are regulated in India.

With inputs from IANS.