2.98 lakh URLs sent for takedown; I4C flags scams, CSAM and other unlawful content
The Indian government's PIB Fact Check unit reported that nearly 3 lakh URLs were flagged for takedown between March and July 2026, primarily by state authorities. The unit also clarified that Meta's automated content blocking is not a result of government pressure but rather an API integration requested by the company.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between digital platform regulation, government oversight, and the balance between free speech and the removal of unlawful content like financial scams and CSAM.
Nearly 3 lakh URLs were sent to social media platforms for takedown by government departments between March and July 2026, with states accounting for 82% of the requests, the PIB Fact Check unit said. The figures come after articles claiming that Meta had automated content blocking to meet the government's three-hour takedown requirement, with content blocks rising during the Delhiprotests resurfaced.Of the total URLs sent for takedown, 2.44 lakh, or 82%, came from states, while 51,000 were sent by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). The I4C requests concerned cyber, infrastructure and stock-investment scams, the government's fact-check body said."During the period from March 2026 to July 2026, around 2.98 lakh URLs were sent for takedown, out of which 2.44 lakhs were sent by states (82 per cent).
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