The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has called senior representatives of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to explain the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video addressing students. The government has indicated that it is not satisfied with Meta’s initial explanation and intends to seek a detailed account of how the incident occurred.
The controversy began after a video featuring the Prime Minister’s message to students amid the ongoing student protest issue became inaccessible on Meta’s platforms for a short period. Users attempting to view the content were shown a notice suggesting that the restriction had been imposed in response to a legal request, leading to widespread discussion on social media.
Meta later restored the video and stated that its removal was the result of an internal error rather than any deliberate action or government directive. The company apologised for the mistake and confirmed that normal access to the video had been reinstated.
Despite the restoration, government sources have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with Meta’s explanation. According to them, merely describing the incident as an “error” is insufficient, especially considering that the content originated from the official account of the Prime Minister. Officials have reportedly conveyed that the matter remains under active consideration and is “far from settled.”
In response, MeitY has summoned Meta’s senior public policy executives to appear before the ministry and clarify the circumstances that led to the temporary blocking of the video. The meeting is expected to focus on the platform’s content moderation systems, the reason behind the erroneous restriction, and the safeguards in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The episode has once again brought attention to the relationship between governments and large social media platforms, particularly regarding transparency in content moderation and the handling of posts made by constitutional authorities. While Meta has acknowledged its mistake, the Union Government is expected to continue examining the issue before deciding whether any further action is required.