India Demands Meta Follow Local Laws Over Global Policies

The Indian government is conducting a comprehensive review of Meta's operations in the country, demanding that the tech giant's platforms adhere strictly to Indian law rather than relying solely on global corporate policies. This intensified scrutiny follows a series of meetings between Meta's technical team and officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), with the most recent discussions occurring on Friday, August 7, 2026. The government's stance was clarified by sources on Sunday, August 9, 2026.

At the core of the discussions is the government's insistence that Meta's content moderation systems, recommendation algorithms, and overall platform guidelines must align with India's legal framework, including the Information Technology Act and its 2026 amendments. Officials have explicitly stated it would be inaccurate to claim they have directed Meta to completely overhaul its algorithms. Instead, the objective is to ensure compliance with Indian law when serving Indian users.

A primary concern raised by officials is the handling of illegal child sexual abuse material. Government sources emphasized a policy of zero tolerance, stating that...