MeitY Asks Meta to Review Facebook, Instagram Algorithms
MeitY has asked Meta to review how Facebook and Instagram recommend content, citing one-sided feeds and misleading viral visuals. What it means for users.
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.
