Meta has several public policy initiatives in India focused on digital consumer protection, open-source AI, safety, and expression .
Meta’s public policy initiatives in India:
- Digital Consumer Protection: Meta has partnered with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to launch the “Be An Empowered Consumer” campaign, which aims to enhance digital literacy and consumer protection .
- Open-Source AI: Meta is collaborating with the Indian government to promote open-source AI and democratize access to AI technologies . This includes extending AI resources like LLaMA (Large Language Model Meta AI) and speech recognition systems to empower developers and startups . A Centre for Generative AI, named Srijan, will be established at IIT Jodhpur, and a ‘YuvAI Initiative for Skilling and Capacity Building’ will be launched in partnership with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) . Meta has committed to invest up to Rs 750 lakhs as a donation over three years .
- Safety and Expression: Meta is working to remove restrictions on topics like immigration, gender identity, and gender that are the subject of frequent political discussion .
- AI as an Opportunity: Meta’s VP of Public Policy has emphasized AI as a transformative opportunity for India, contrasting the apprehensions in Western countries about job displacement .
- Other Key Areas: Meta’s public policy efforts also include data privacy, combating misinformation, economic opportunity, election integrity, and youth well-being .
