Govt Summons Meta Policy Chief After PM Modi's Video Takedown

The Central government has stepped up its scrutiny of global technology platforms by summoning Meta's Global Head of Public Policy after the social media giant briefly removed a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident, which Meta attributed to an automated moderation error, has sparked fresh concerns over platform accountability, AI-driven content moderation and the responsibilities of digital intermediaries operating in India.

According to government sources, Meta informed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) that the Prime Minister's post was mistakenly taken down due to a glitch in its automated content-filtering system. However, the Centre reportedly found the explanation unsatisfactory, maintaining that the matter is far from settled. Officials have emphasised that if automated tools were responsible for the error, the company must strengthen its moderation systems to prevent similar incidents.

The video, first shared on Instagram on July 23 and later cross-posted to Facebook, featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first selfie-style address to India's youth. In the message, he pledged stringent action against examination paper leaks and announced that the government would introduce legislation in Parliament to impose tougher penalties on those involved. The proposed bill was also scheduled for discussion by the Union Cabinet before being finalised.

The temporary removal of the post drew criticism from BJP leader Priti Gandhi, who questioned Meta's transparency and accused the platform of raising concerns over political neutrality. Meta later apologised, admitting that the content had been removed "in error" before restoring it.

The episode comes amid growing regulatory oversight of Meta in India. In recent months, MeitY has questioned WhatsApp's proposed username feature over fraud risks, directed Instagram to crack down on Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM), and examined Meta's AI-powered Muse Image feature over privacy and consent concerns before it was withdrawn globally.

The latest controversy underscores the Centre's increasingly assertive approach towards regulating AI-powered content moderation, with greater emphasis on user rights, transparency, privacy and platform accountability in India's rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.