Meta’s ‘Safe Harbour’ Status Questioned Over Alleged Child Exploit Videos

During the hearing, Kanoongo pointed out that Meta enjoys a ‘safe harbour’ protection under Section 79 of the IT Act, which typically shields intermediaries from liability for user‑uploaded content. However, he argued that recent evidence suggests Meta is actively guiding users on how to edit and monetize protest‑related videos, thereby stepping beyond the role of a neutral platform. If Meta is curating content, its safe‑harbour shield could be invalidated, opening the door to criminal liability for facilitating child‑exploitation material.