An investigation into Facebook content moderation has revealed that the platform allowed Indian propaganda to thrive while also supporting the army’s actions in the Indian Occupied Kashmir and targeting of Kashmiri journalists, the Washington Post reported.

The network, spreading the propaganda, was found to be operated by the Indian army’s Chinar Corps, stationed in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

After being suggested deleting the network’s pages, the Facebook office based in India resisted due to concerns about the government’s response.

After a year-long stalemate, top Facebook executives intervened and ordered the deletion of the fake accounts.

Additionally, the platform has also been accused of favouring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as it failed to take action against hate speech spread by BJP politicians.

Despite India being a critical market for Facebook’s international growth, the company’s cautious approach to moderating pro-government content has come under scrutiny.

Indian executives have also been reported to object to combating fake accounts, hate speech and propaganda. These executives were hired for their political experience and held views aligned with the BJP’s.

Documentary evidence during the investigations and interviews with employees indicated that Facebook executives frequently avoided taking action against the BJP or associated accounts, even in cases where leaders openly called for violence against Muslims.

Seen as a vital market, India’s judicial protections and the geopolitical importance of the country have complicated the tech industry’s relationship with Indian regulators.

The success of India’s government in influencing internet companies has inspired other countries, such as Brazil, Nigeria, and Turkiye, to adopt a similar approach.