News Brief

'Algorithmic Curation System Has No Equivalent In Traditional Media': Centre Tells Karnataka HC In X Corp Case, Pushes For SM Regulation

Arzoo YadavJul 18, 2025, 12:34 PM | Updated 12:34 PM IST
The Centre argues that algorithmic content curation lacks transparency and editorial oversight. (File Photo)

The Centre argues that algorithmic content curation lacks transparency and editorial oversight. (File Photo)


Defending its move to reduce "safe harbour" protections for internet intermediaries and social media plaftorms, the Centre on Thursday (17 July) told the Karnataka High Court that algorithmic curation on social media platforms differs sharply from traditional media, reported The Indian Express.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, argued that these platforms use automated systems that often work without transparent standards.

“Unlike a newspaper editor’s conscious judgment or a TV producer’s schedule, these automated decisions occur at massive scale and at lightning speed, often without transparent standards,” the government said in its submissions.

The court is currently hearing a plea by social media platform X challenging the Centre’s use of Section 79 of the Information Technology Act to pass content blocking orders.

The provision removes safe harbour protection for intermediaries if they fail to take down content flagged by the government.

These orders are facilitated through the Home Ministry’s Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)-led Sahyog Portal.

Mehta said, “Historically, the flow of information to the public was mediated by institutional gatekeepers… who exercised at least some judgment.”

The government cited anonymity or pseudonymity in online platforms through alias accounts, encrypted messaging, etc. “which can encourage more extreme speech by shielding speakers from accountability,” unlike in “the world of licensed newspapers or broadcasters, who were known entities”.

The Centre said that algorithmic systems “boost exposure of posts beyond the reach that basic user-to-user transmission would achieve.”

"This algorithmic curation system has no equivalent in traditional media, thus social media can ‘target’ information toward individual consumers in a way that is not possible for traditional media,” the government said.

Major platforms like Google, Apple, and Meta have onboarded or integrated with the Sahyog Portal, though X continues to oppose it.

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