The government has asked internet giants Google and Facebook to remove ‘false and malicious’ content which spread misinformation regarding the safety and quality of food in India, The Times of India has reported.
The instruction issued by the IT ministry has also asked the companies to block the accounts of people who are uploading the videos, the report said quoting sources.
"It has come to our notice that some miscreants are misusing various social media platforms for circulating fake and objectionable material, including false and malicious videos regarding the safety and quality of food available in India," an IT ministry official said in a separate written communication to the two companies.
The official has also said that such content on the internet “erode public confidence”.
The ministry’s note also specified certain instances of ‘fake’ content.
"One specific fake video which went viral on social media related to the presence of melamine in milk, wherein it was maliciously projected that FSSAI had given permission for use of melamine in the milk," the note said.
The ministry has also asked the companies to ensure the prevention of uploading such imagery, video or text, the report said.
(With inputs from The Times of India)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)