Meta India head among those booked over AI-generated derogatory posts targeting PM Modi
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An FIR registered by the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police on complaints filed by BJP workers in connection with AI-generated videos and other allegedly obscene and derogatory social media posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi has named Meta India head Arun Shrinivas, along with the operators of several social media handles, making it one of the most high-profile digital cases involving a senior executive of a global technology company in India.
In the FIR, the complainants alleged the wide circulation of objectionable AI-generated videos of the Prime Minister, particularly on Meta-owned platforms, urging the police to identify the social media handles that create and disseminate such content while seeking action against both the account holders and Meta for making such content still accessible.
The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police, which is probing the case, will investigate the origin of the AI-generated videos, how those posts have been spread across social media platforms, and whether Meta could curb the circulation of such content with its existing moderation mechanisms, along with the role of individuals in creating and sharing it on different platforms.
Telangana's cybercrime investigators have already invoked the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act against the operators of the identified social media accounts as part of the ongoing probe.
One complainant alleged that around 20 Facebook and Instagram accounts had published content that was derogatory towards the Prime Minister and capable of affecting public order and national integrity. Another alleged that manipulated videos and images featuring Prime Minister Modi, the US President and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were obscene, misleading and intended to deceive the public.
One of the complainants claimed that about 20 Facebook and Instagram accounts had seen content derogatory to the Prime Minister being circulated, amounting to affecting public order and national integrity, while another alleged that AI-generated videos and images of PM Modi, the US President and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were obscene, misleading and intended to deceive the public.
Police sources said that all the links cited in the complaints had become inactive by 30 July. Meta had not issued an official response to the development at the time of reporting.