New Delhi, Oct. 8 -- India has asked social media companies to keep a closer watch on misleading and manipulated content online, as the government steps up efforts to prevent material that could disrupt public order.

In an advisory issued on Thursday, the ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) urged platforms to exercise "enhanced diligence" when dealing with content that is false, altered or shared without proper context. The ministry said such posts can mislead people, create confusion and contribute to law-and-order concerns.

"Certain information, including false, misleading, manipulated or out-of-context content, is being circulated through various social media platforms in relation to ongoing public events and d...