Social Media

Countering disinformation

This book is a compelling account of how India lives online, and what we can do - to make it a more dignified and inclusive space

Terms of engagement

If Meta is forced to abandon the engagement-algorithm for its most committed users, and if other platforms follow suit, the industry will undergo a tectonic shift

Meta India head Sandhya Devanathan to join OpenAI in regional role

Devanathan will be based in Singapore and oversee consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, regulatory engagement and operations across Southeast Asia and Australia

Meta's new teen safety rules: What changes on Instagram and Facebook

The new protections will first apply in participating US states and territories, subject to judicial approval. Meta has not announced these measures as a global rollout

Meta's campaign on teen safeguards puts TikTok, YouTube, Snap on back foot

In a public callout to TikTok and YouTube that included a plan to publish open letters in newspapers, Meta said it's seeking to set a 'new industry standard'

US Federal Trade Commission probes YouTube over social media policies

The antitrust and consumer protection agency has been probing YouTube since last year and is in the final stages of preparing a potential lawsuit

Meta settlement opens new front in global fight over social media harm

Meta's up to $18 billion settlement with nearly all US states over social media harm to teenagers has opened a new front in a global government fight to protect children and curb addiction

Meta's $18 billion social media settlement: Numbers behind the deal

Of the overall amount, the company has pledged to shell out about $12.7 billion in installments to states over the next 10 years as a starting point

Meta to pay up to $16.7 billion to settle social media addiction cases

The deal requires Meta to put new guardrails on its platforms, including restricting how much time youths can scroll and preventing them from switching off certain safety settings

Australia teens return to TikTok 8 months after under-16 social media ban

Some 26% of children between the ages of 13 and 15 were on TikTok as of last month, just one percentage point below the rate prior to Australia's groundbreaking rules coming into effect

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