Why Are Harmful AI Videos Still Going Viral? Govt Puts Meta on the Spot

The government’s discussions with Meta entered a technical phase on Friday, with the social media giant detailing measures it says can be deployed to address concerns over deepfakes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), bot accounts and unlabelled AI-generated content on its platforms.

The third day of talks focused on how Meta’s systems operate and what technical interventions can be introduced to prevent harmful synthetic content from spreading or resurfacing, government sources said.

The Centre has asked Meta to undertake specific measures and report back on their effectiveness, indicating that the government expects sustained action rather than assurances. A key concern raised during the meeting was the continued visibility and rapid circulation of AI-generated harmful content even after it has been flagged. Officials also questioned why synthetic videos without appropriate labels continue to appear on Meta’s platforms despite requirements under India’s IT Rules for such content to be identified.

Meta explained its existing systems and outlined solutions that could be deployed to tackle the concerns, including measures against deepfakes, CSAM and automated bot accounts. The technical discussions followed two days of intense questioning by government officials. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier questioned Meta’s team, led by Global Affairs Head Joel Kaplan, over its content recommendation algorithms, compliance with Indian laws and safeguards designed to meet legal and constitutional requirements.

The government’s concerns intensified after Meta was summoned following the temporary restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook post. Officials subsequently questioned the company over its platform algorithms and content moderation practices.

Meta executives have acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns and assured the government that the company is working continuously to improve its systems. The Centre, however, is expected to maintain pressure on Meta to demonstrate measurable improvements in tackling harmful content and ensuring compliance with Indian regulations.