Google and Meta can lose the legal shield in the middle of the Indian Paris probe -

Google and Meta may no longer be automatically protected from responsibility simply because they host third -party content in India, according to legal experts. The change comes while the country’s application management (ED) examines the money laundering allegations linked to online Paris applications.

The two technology giants were called to the emergency headquarters on July 21, but they did not show up. They then received a new assignment for July 28. Google came to Reunion, but Meta did not send anyone for the investigation in the same problem.

Google says: We are committed to ensuring the safety and safety of our platforms, prohibiting the promotion of illegal game advertisements. Our continuous progress of AI, supplemented by human expertise, guarantee that all the announcements on our areas respect local laws and our strict advertising policies, and …

– ASEM Manchanda (@SeeMemmchanda) July 21, 2025

A Google spokesman told Readwrite that the company “has committed to ensuring the safety of our platforms, prohibiting the promotion of illegal game advertisements”. The company has also said: “Our continuous IA advances, supplemented by human expertise, guarantee that all the announcements on our areas comply with local laws and our strict advertising policies, and to protect users against the evolution of threats. Last year, we deleted 247.4 million announcements and suspended 2.9 million accounts of advertisers in India.

“We extend our full support and cooperation to investigate agencies to keep the bad players responsible and ensure user security.”

Why India accuses Google and Meta of promoting summary Paris applications

The ED accuses Google and Meta of having actively helped to promote the applications of Paris which are the subject of a survey for serious financial crimes such as money laundering and transfers of illegal wire, often called “Hawala”. The authorities say that the two companies have given these applications a first -rate advertising space and allowed their associated websites to gain visibility, which helped them to spread more widely.

“If it may be proven that they had the knowledge of the illegal operations of these platforms, they could be responsible under various laws.” – Gaurav Bhalla, Ahlawat & Associates Partner

The survey focuses on a large network of Paris applications, many of which are disguised as skills -based games, but actually perform illegal game operations. It is believed that the platforms have made rupes in illegal funds, often channeled by complex roads from Hawala to dodge detection.

Technology giants can qualify for “Safe Harbor”

Legal experts have explained to Readwrite that digital platforms could face serious criminal accusations if they knowingly promoted illegal Paris operations. Gaurav Bhalla, partner at Ahlawat & Associates, said that the legal risk of a platform depends largely, whether it is eligible for “Safe Harbor” under article 79 of the 2000 law on information technologies.

“The main aspect to be determined while determining whether they would be responsible or not would depend on their ability to claim the wearing of Safe,” said Bhalla. “If they are able to claim the defense, a large part of their responsibility will be minimized. However, if it may be proven that they had knowledge of the illegal operations of these platforms, they could be responsible under various laws. ”

He stressed that there were cases where intermediaries were held responsible for third -party content when they did not meet the criteria of Safe Harbor. This includes acting only as a passive channel, not modifying the content and following the government’s reasonable diligence directives.

Bhalla said the platforms lose this protection when “the intermediary has conspired, encouraged or helped or induced” an illegal act, or if they do not act after being informed by the authorities. “If the intermediary knows that it facilitates the exploitation of online Paris platforms, it could not claim the port of Safe (and will be held responsible for the content hosted on its platform).”

Without Safe Harbor, platforms could note the scanner of the law on the prevention of money laundering to allow illegal financial activity, and could also be accused of complicity under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for the advertising of prohibited services.

But responsibility does not stop with platforms. Bhalla warned that “application developers (who have developed such Paris platforms) and the media (which announced such platforms) could be held responsible under the conspiracy and criminal conspiracy provisions under articles 56 and 62” of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. “.

Celebrities in the shooting line

Even public figures are not dropped. “Celebrities who approve or promote these applications on social networks could be subject to prosecution under” guidelines for the prevention of misleading advertisements, 2022. Since online betting are prohibited under the 2019 law on consumer protection law.

To reduce these risks, Bhalla recommends that companies and influencers make legal checks and sign contracts that include guarantees and compensation clauses, “to respond to situations where technological companies or endorsers suffer from all financial responsibility for the illegal operations of the best online platform.”

The investigation is part of a greater repression of the government agency, which has taken steam after proofs have surfaced, showing that the operations of Paris linked abroad used Indian platforms to carry out illegal transactions.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had previously published opinions warning digital platforms to broadcast ads related to betting, but the reports suggest that these warnings have been widely ignored, which led to a more in -depth examination.

To all those who want to know what happened with the ED SEMKONS today. THANKS

– Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) July 30, 2025

As part of the current probe, the ED has now summoned several actors in the case. Rana Daggubati was invited to appear at the agency’s zonal office in Hyderabad on July 23, while Prakash Raj was summoned for July 30. Vijay Deverakonda is expected to appear on August 6 and Lakshmi Manchu on August 13.

Speaking after being summoned, Raj said: “The police called me as a citizen of the country as part of a silver laundering case linked to the Paris applications. It was something that was offered to me in 2016.

“For moral reasons, I chose not to continue it. I informed them that I had not received money because I had refused the offer. ”

Celebrities are the subject of an investigation for their alleged promotion of illegal Paris applications on social media platforms.

Readwrite contacted Google and Meta to comment.

Star image: Canva / Google / Meta

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