Meta offers apology to parliamentary panel over PM video
- Meta told the parliamentary panel it is ready to apologise for briefly restricting PM Modi’s Facebook post.
- MPs criticised algorithmic bias, noting pornographic content remains while “genuine” posts are sometimes removed.
- MeitY found Meta’s “technical glitch” explanation inadequate and sought stronger safeguards.
- A BJP MP insisted accountability must be fixed and legal action considered, not just an apology.
- The committee discussed broader regulation of social platforms amid rising concerns over content moderation.
- Senior officials from Home Ministry, MeitY and major tech firms appeared before the panel on August 3.
New Delhi: Social media giant Meta has told a parliamentary committee that it is ready to apologise for the brief restriction of a post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Facebook, even as several members demanded legal action and clear accountability. The exchange came during a meeting of the department-related standing committee on information technology, where MPs pressed Meta officials on why objectionable content, including pornography, remains freely available while “genuine” content is sometimes removed.
At the Monday, August 3 meeting, members pointed out that while Meta earns huge revenue from India, it does not appear to follow the law of the land, according to sources. “While content like porn freely available, genuine content removed,” an MP remarked, voicing a broader frustration with algorithmic bias and inconsistent enforcement.
The questioning sharpened around the recent incident in which PM Modi’s video—addressing India’s youth and promising stringent action against paper leaks—was briefly restricted on Facebook before being restored. Meta had attributed the removal to a technical glitch and apologised, but the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) found that explanation “inadequate”.
“When Facebook has not removed a lot of other objectionable content, who removed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video from the platform?” an MP asked Meta representatives. sources quoted a panel member as saying.
In a democracy, “if a video of the prime minister is not safe, then accountability needs to be fixed,” another member added, underscoring the political sensitivity of the episode.
The company had earlier said the content was removed “in error” and was restored on the platform. MeitY, however, has sought stronger safeguards and clearer protocols to prevent similar mistakes involving high-profile accounts.
This isn’t just about offering an apology, a BJP MP remarked. Accountability must be fixed and legal action should be taken in this matter, the member asserted, reflecting a mood in the committee that goes beyond symbolic regret.
The committee, headed by BJP member Nishikant Dubey, convened to discuss “Social and Digital platforms and their regulation”, days after the government summoned Meta’s global team for briefly restricting PM Modi’s post. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan and representatives of major platforms—Snapchat, Google, X (formerly Twitter), Meta (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram) and YouTube—appeared before the panel.