Social Media

Need a human touch: Govt tells Meta not to leave takedowns solely to AI

The government has asked Meta to ensure human review in AI-led content moderation, warning that keyword-based takedowns can remove legitimate posts without context

Meta Platforms' trial: Victims' families see pivotal moment for safety

Parents say this trial, in which the attorneys general from four states are seeking billions of dollars in damages for social media harms to children, marks a significant moment.

They'll have to comply with Indian law: Govt on X takedown visibility push

Amid Elon Musk's recent announcement that X will make government content takedown requests more transparent and visible, a senior IT Ministry official on Tuesday asserted that the platform "will have to comply with the Indian laws". X's new transparency push seeks to make government-directed content restrictions more visible to users, and bring more clarity on takedown requests. It intends to disclose which government was behind such a request, and why the content was flagged. Asked about the IT Ministry's stance on the issue, a senior official made it clear that the platform "will have to comply with Indian law". "...There is a process...there are two sets of processes. We don't talk about orders we issue specifically under 69 (A) because it is intended to be maintained as confidential," the official said. In a post on X recently, Musk had announced that "any censorship required by governments is now clearly visible". X and the Indian government have sparred in the past over cont

Audiences and platforms push back on AI slop as AI reshapes creator economy

AI is making content creation faster and cheaper, but the rise of synthetic influencers and mass-produced posts is pushing platforms, creators and brands to focus on originality, disclosure and trust

Govt pressure on CSAM prompts Meta to step up action, sensitivity

The government's hard talk with Meta has led to action and increased sensitivity on the issue of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), IT Ministry sources said on Tuesday, adding that the Centre has been unequivocal that such content is a clear violation and there is no safe harbour when law is violated in this manner. Sources said the government's intent is not about censorship or restricting coverage in any way, but ensuring Indian laws and norms are followed and that social media harms are mitigated. "The message has gone home," they said. During discussions, Meta explained how its algorithms and systems work, ministry sources said, noting that discussions are on and such matters involve "judgment calls, and tweaks". On the WhatsApp username row, sources said the matter is under examination as it doesn't involve just that particular platform, but other messaging apps as well. Sources said concerns over social media harms is not something specific only to India, it is a concern sha

Sebi cautions investors against 'live trading strategies' on social media

Markets regulator Sebi on Monday cautioned investors against taking investment decisions based on "live trading strategies" or "real-time strategies" offered on social media platforms, saying such sessions may involve unregistered investment advisory services. The regulator said it has come to its notice that certain individuals on social media platforms are offering real-time tips on taking positions in the stock market through live trading sessions. "These persons portray themselves as experts in the securities market, provide detailed analysis of when to invest, when to exit, strategies to be followed and the positions to be taken on market indices," Sebi said in a press release. The regulator said some of these individuals claim to trade in real time while showcasing the performance of their trades, market patterns based on live data and the targets they expect to be achieved. Sebi also pointed out that such live trading sessions are being viewed by a substantial number of peop

BJP appoints Deepak Mhaskey as its social media head, replaces Amit Malviya

Deepak Mhaskey, academic and former member of the board of Engineers India Limited, was on Monday appointed as the head of the BJP's social media department, replacing Amit Malviya, who had been steering the party's social media outreach for 11 years. Malviya congratulated his successor, who also had a stint as a chemistry professor in Chhattisgarh. Mhaskey, born in 1968, is the chairman of the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited (CGMSC). He possesses a state minister-rank and is a permanent invitee of the BJP's Chhattisgarh unit. He had also served as an independent director of Engineers India Limited (EIL), a central PSU known for engineering consultancy and project management, principally focused on the oil & gas and petrochemical industries. "Their appointments come at a crucial juncture as the party prepares to scale newer heights and take its message and organisation to every corner of the country," Malviya said in a post on X. "I wish to particularly ...

Meta faces landmark US trial over child safety on Facebook, Instagram

Of the thousands of lawsuits Meta faces over child safety on its platforms, none may be more consequential than one going to trial this week in California. US states are seeking extensive financial damages that could, in theory, total as much as USD 1.4 trillion, plus changes to how the company operates Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit accuses the social media giant of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that get children addicted to its platforms. It also claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents' consent, in violation of federal law. "Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximise its financial gains," the lawsuit says. Dozens of states filed the lawsuit three years ago. The trial set to begin Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, features four of

The Story Of Your Life: Everything looks wonderful, just keep scrolling

All was sweet innocent fun for a while. Then the algorithm came along and ruined everything

Govt departments form QRTs to counter fake, misleading social media content

Government departments are constituting Quick Response Teams (QRT) to ensure a timely response to misleading or fake contents on social media, an official said. There is a need to engage with people through social media in a constructive manner and to ensure that responses to rumours, misinformation, fake content, and misleading posts are issued in a timely manner, the official said. The objective is to promptly scrutinise, coordinate and respond to such content, while effectively monitoring matters related to the works and functions of government departments on social media. The functions and responsibilities of the respective teams include responding to fake/misleading content on social media. Departments such as power, agriculture and commerce have already constituted their QRTs. "Ideally, the response from the ministries should go in two hours of noting such content," the official said, adding that the monitoring of social media and relevant digital platforms would be undertak

Best of BS Opinion: The case for keeping UPI free outweighs its infra costs

Today's columns examine the case for keeping UPI free, Punjab's shifting political landscape, General A S Vaidya's forgotten legacy and the rise of founders as brand ambassadors.

France's top court blocks social media ban for children under 15

France's Constitutional Council said the proposed ban disproportionately infringed freedom of expression and lacked safeguards for the right to privacy.

Meta says it has shut down 750,000 under-16 accounts in Australia

The figure includes more than 500,000 accounts Meta removed before the law came into effect in December, along with those it has shut down since, the company said

Much deserved or threatening? Claude's invisible watermark sparks debate

The watermark is embedded in the generated text and is designed to remain invisible to readers. It can travel with text when it is copied and pasted and may survive some editing

Trump sued over paid early access to US policy posts on Truth Social

President Donald Trump was sued in federal court Wednesday to stop him from making money off a new, paid service at his Truth Social company offering early, exclusive access to his posts on US policy. The lawsuit alleges that Trump's deal to post first on his own company's site about US policy decisions on war, tariffs and other issues violates the Constitution and that official announcements should be made available to everyone at the same time. The suit comes after his media company, Trump Media & Technology, rolled out a new subscription service earlier this month charging Wall Street firms as much as USD 100,000 a month to get his posts faster so they can trade off them. "A president selling priority access to news he himself generates for the benefit of a private company he controls is so blatantly corrupt and unconstitutional that it would have been hard to even fathom just a few years ago," said Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation, a plaintiff ..

Meta faces biggest youth social media test yet as 29 US states go to trial

The seven-week trial will test claims that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to keep children hooked and misled users about the safety of its platforms.

YouTube updates channel monetisation rules after 8 years: What's changing

YouTube will raise the bar for new creators joining its Partner Program from February 2027, requiring 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views to qualify for ad and Premium revenue sharing

Centre asks Meta to act against deepfakes, probes role of algorithms

Government may seek legal opinion on further action against Meta after reviewing outcome of recent meetings; other digital platforms could also come under scrutiny

Govt slashes online content takedown time to 2 hours for sensitive matters

The government has slashed the online content takedown time for sensitive matters to 2 hours from the earlier 24 hours given to social media platforms, an official statement said on Thursday. According to the statement, amendments were made on February 10, 2026, in the IT Rules 2021 to strengthen the regulatory framework to address harms arising from synthetically generated information (SGI), including deepfakes and AI-generated content. "Strengthening of timelines for compliance, including reduced timelines for removal of unlawful information upon actual knowledge upon valid reasoned intimation from the Appropriate Government or court orders (timeline reduced from 36 hours to 3 hours) and for grievance redressal (including special categories such as nudity/impersonation etc) (timeline reduced from 72 hours to 36 hours and 24 hours to 2 hours for sensitive matters, respectively)," the statement said. IT Rules mandates the significant social media intermediaries (SSMIs), platforms wi

AI-powered cognitive warfare demands a new defence of public trust

Information warfare has moved beyond fake news to shaping how we think. Building cognitive resilience is now as important as safeguarding our borders