Meta Allowed AI-Generated Manipulative Ads Spreading Disinformation Targeting Muslims: Report (Photo on Facebook Meta for Business)

As allegations of hate speech by Prime Minister Modi and other senior BJP leaders increased during the ongoing election campaign, a report by the Guardian revealed that Meta, which runs Facebook and Instagram has approved many AI-manipulated political advertisements in India. The platform permitted the flow of apparent slurs against Muslims, the report states. 

Words such as “let’s burn this vermin” and “Hindu blood is spilling” and “these invaders must be burned” among other provocative remarks reportedly, appeared on the platforms, incited religious violence and spread disinformation. 

The report mentions an advertisement which was approved by the platforms, calling for the execution of an opposition leader they falsely claimed wanted to remove Hindus from India. The content was submitted with a picture of a Pakistan flag. 

The fact was revealed when a group of researcher decided to test the reliability of Meta”s mechanism to detect and remove hate speech. The researchers reportedly created and submitted 22 adverts in English, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, and Kannada to Meta out of which 14 were approved by the platform, while a further three were approved later after trivial change, that is also without altering the meaning of the provocative messages. After the platform”s approval, the researchers immediately removed the content without publishing. 

All of the ads were created based upon real hate speech and disinformation in India, and ads used the potential of social media platforms to spread false and harmful narratives in the society.

It alleged that Meta’s systems failed to detect all of the approved adverts despite featuring AI-manipulated images. Though the platform pledged that it was committed to preventing AI-generated or manipulated content, it allowed the spread of said content during the election season.  

During the past decade, the BJP government has reportedly pushed a Hindutva agenda, fueling the allegations of the oppression of minorities in the country. The Prime Minister”s recent campaign rallies with remarks such as “infiltrators” and “those who have more children” had also sparked discussions about the growing and unrestricted hate speech incidents.  

During his decade in power, Modi’s government has pushed a Hindu-first agenda which human rights groups, activists and opponents say has led to the increased persecution and oppression of India’s Muslim minority.