The Parliamentary Committee on Communications and Information Technology has directed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to issue an apology within three days over the temporary removal of PM Narendra Modi’s July 23 video from Facebook. The committee described the incident as a serious matter that affected the country’s democratic institutions. Chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, the panel stated that the removal involved the official account of India’s elected Prime Minister, who represents more than 1.4 billion citizens. Members of the committee also demanded accountability from Meta and asked the company to identify those responsible for the incident. The committee warned that failure to respond within the specified period could lead to stronger action from the Indian government against the social media platform.
Parliamentary Panel Issues 3-Day Ultimatum to Meta Over PM Modi Video Removal
According to sources, the committee has cautioned that the government may review Facebook’s Safe Harbor protection if Meta fails to comply with the panel’s directions. Such a move could expose company officials to direct legal proceedings under Indian law. Safe Harbor provisions generally protect online platforms from liability for user-generated content under certain conditions. Committee members believe companies operating in India must remain accountable for actions affecting public communication and democratic institutions. The panel emphasized that global technology firms should maintain reliable content moderation systems while respecting national laws and public interest. Officials said digital platforms must ensure greater transparency to avoid similar controversies in the future.
The controversy began after Facebook briefly removed a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi that was originally shared on Instagram before appearing on Facebook. The selfie-style video addressed issues including paper leak incidents and promised strict action against those responsible. Soon after users noticed the disappearance of the post, several political leaders and social media users questioned the platform’s decision. Meta later restored the video and explained that a technical glitch had caused the temporary removal. However, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology rejected that explanation, stating that technology companies must strengthen their systems to prevent similar errors from affecting important public communications.
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Government Warns of Possible Action as Meta Faces Safe Harbor Review
Earlier, the parliamentary committee had summoned Meta officials to explain the circumstances surrounding the temporary removal of the Prime Minister’s video. During the meeting, company representatives apologised and repeated that a technical issue had triggered the incident. Despite the apology, committee members expressed dissatisfaction and insisted that stronger safeguards were necessary. They stressed that digital platforms carrying official government communications should implement more effective monitoring and review mechanisms. The panel also instructed major technology companies, including Google, YouTube, X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Snapchat, to remove child sexual exploitation material and harmful content targeting women within three days or face strict regulatory action.
Meanwhile, separate legal developments have emerged involving major technology companies operating in India. Telangana Police have registered an FIR against Google over allegations related to fraudulent financial applications hosted on its platform. Authorities have also filed a separate case against Meta concerning the circulation of a fake video involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These developments reflect increasing regulatory scrutiny of global digital platforms operating in the country. Government agencies continue to emphasise stronger accountability, faster responses to harmful content, and better compliance with Indian laws. Officials maintain that technology companies must strengthen their systems to protect users while preserving trust in digital communication platforms.
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