Meta officials admitted to a mistake during their appearance before NCPCR NEW DELHI: Govt has told Meta that it cannot go on invoking intermediary status and must shoulder greater responsibility as a service provider after the tech giant admitted to lapses in dealing with child sexual abuse material. This can have far-reaching consequences, including the company losing the “safe harbour” immunity that it enjoys on grounds of being an intermediary, although it can challenge any decision of the govt in court.The tech giant admitted mistakes and assured the authorities that it would immediately report child sexual abuse material, persons in the know said.Govt has told Meta that it must shoulder greater responsibility following the tech giant admitting to lapses in dealing with child sexual abuse material. Officials said the company cannot go on invoking intermediary status. While adding it will risk losing the “safe harbour” immunity, govt also took the stand that the tech giant’s recommendations to users and advertising systems give it responsibilities beyond that of an “intermediary” which is only hosting users’ posts.Officials made it clear that Meta needed to remove child sexual abuse material that could drive children to suicide.NCPCR, too, warned the company’s representatives when Meta India chief Arun Srinivas and senior executives appeared before the panel for its inquiry into alleged advertisements linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse material on the platform.The 70-minute meeting focused on safe harbour provisions under the IT Act, 2000, which offer intermediaries conditional protection from liability for third-party content, sources said. It is learnt NCPCR stressed upon Meta that this protection was “not absolute” but “relative” and depended on compliance with legal obligations, including reporting under the Pocso Act.Sources said NCPCR did not accept Meta’s arguments on the applicability of safe harbour provisions and pressed for evidence of compliance with IT Act, Pocso and Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on child sexual abuse material.NCPCR invoked the ruling to underline that intermediaries could not automatically claim protection under Sec 79 of IT Act in such cases. Meta faced a series of legal and technical questions, they added.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesMeta sought time to respond, and the commission granted it two weeks for answers to a questionnaire that would be shared with the company. NCPCR is likely to call company representatives for another hearing subsequently.The meeting was chaired by Valeti Premchand, additional secretary in WCD ministry, who holds charge as NCPCR chair. Representatives of MeitY and Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre were also part of the meeting, the sources said. Srinivas had not appeared on Sept 9 when he was first summoned. Other Meta executives who attended that meeting were told the commission would like to hear only from the India head of the company, in whose name the summons had been issued.(With inputs from Aabhas Sharma)Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Who Will Teach?’: Abhijeet Dipke Flags Teacher Shortage, School Gaps In Tribal AreasUPI MDR Row: Government Rules Out Rollback, 0.4% Merchant Charge Above Rs 2,000 From October 15Supreme Court Sets Priorities For CJP Protest Probe, Orders Witness Protection And ConfidentialityMathura SP Leader Rajan Rizvi Booked Over Alleged WhatsApp Messages to Woman‘Unacceptable’: India Summons Islamabad Envoy As Pakistan’s Ship Collides With Indian Naval UnitGurugram Hit-and-Run: Sia Says ‘Arrest Is Not Enough’, Demands Strict Action‘Iron Lady’ Sanjukta Parashar Becomes First Woman To Head CRPF’s Elite CoBRA Commando UnitIndia, US Begin Yudh Abhyas 2026 With 1,200 Troops In Uttarakhand, Focus On High-Altitude WarfareIndia, US Begin Yudh Abhyas 2026 With 1,200 Troops In Uttarakhand, Focus On High-Altitude WarfareBengal Govt Transfers IPS Officer Bushra Bano After ‘Assalam Aleikum’ Video Row123Hot PicksDean Ambrose Net WorthNHL Training CampStock Market TodayRajasthan Election ResultCrude oil price todayKVS NVS Tier 2 resultBank of Baroda LBO recruitmentPunjab Lecturer Cadre admit cardUPI transactionsTop TrendingDisha Salian CaseUmar KhalidGuwahati Murder CaseSupreme CourtLebron JamesStephanie VaquerGurgaon Hit and RunRajasthan Election ResultUS Iran WarGuwahati Murder Case
NEW DELHI: Govt has told Meta that it cannot go on invoking intermediary status and must shoulder greater responsibility as a service provider after the tech giant admitted to lapses in dealing with child sexual abuse material. This can have far-reaching consequences, including the company losing the “safe harbour” immunity that it enjoys on grounds of being an intermediary, although it can challenge any decision of the govt in court.The tech giant admitted mistakes and assured the authorities that it would immediately report child sexual abuse material, persons in the know said.Govt has told Meta that it must shoulder greater responsibility following the tech giant admitting to lapses in dealing with child sexual abuse material. Officials said the company cannot go on invoking intermediary status. While adding it will risk losing the “safe harbour” immunity, govt also took the stand that the tech giant’s recommendations to users and advertising systems give it responsibilities beyond that of an “intermediary” which is only hosting users’ posts.Officials made it clear that Meta needed to remove child sexual abuse material that could drive children to suicide.NCPCR, too, warned the company’s representatives when Meta India chief Arun Srinivas and senior executives appeared before the panel for its inquiry into alleged advertisements linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse material on the platform.The 70-minute meeting focused on safe harbour provisions under the IT Act, 2000, which offer intermediaries conditional protection from liability for third-party content, sources said. It is learnt NCPCR stressed upon Meta that this protection was “not absolute” but “relative” and depended on compliance with legal obligations, including reporting under the Pocso Act.Sources said NCPCR did not accept Meta’s arguments on the applicability of safe harbour provisions and pressed for evidence of compliance with IT Act, Pocso and Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on child sexual abuse material.NCPCR invoked the ruling to underline that intermediaries could not automatically claim protection under Sec 79 of IT Act in such cases. Meta faced a series of legal and technical questions, they added.
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Meta sought time to respond, and the commission granted it two weeks for answers to a questionnaire that would be shared with the company. NCPCR is likely to call company representatives for another hearing subsequently.The meeting was chaired by Valeti Premchand, additional secretary in WCD ministry, who holds charge as NCPCR chair. Representatives of MeitY and Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre were also part of the meeting, the sources said. Srinivas had not appeared on Sept 9 when he was first summoned. Other Meta executives who attended that meeting were told the commission would like to hear only from the India head of the company, in whose name the summons had been issued.(With inputs from Aabhas Sharma)
