Meta

Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly known as Facebook, Inc., is one of the world’s largest technology companies, founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. It owns and operates major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, making it a central player in the global digital landscape. Meta's influence extends into digital advertising, social networking, and emerging areas like the metaverse, shaping how billions of users interact online. Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Meta is a leading force in social networking, digital advertising, and the emerging metaverse.

India is one of Meta's largest markets, with massive user bases across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Its platforms have played a significant role in shaping political discourse, e-commerce, business communication, and social interactions in the country. Meta's advertising systems have enabled Indian political parties to run extensive digital campaigns, contributing to election strategies and the spread of political narratives. However, this influence has also brought challenges related to misinformation, hate speech, and biased content amplification.

In March 2024, a BOOM investigation revealed that a shadow network of pro-BJP pages on Meta had spent over ₹2 crore on advertisements since November 2023.

BOOM found that pages like Ulta Chashma were part of this network, spreading misinformation related to the farmers' protest, circulating hate speech targeting Muslims, and running surrogate ads against opposition leaders. The ads violated Meta’s policies on political advertising and misinformation but continued to operate, raising questions about the platform's moderation standards and transparency.