Parliamentary Panel Demands Accountability from Meta Over PM Modi Video Removal

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on Monday sharply questioned Meta over the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook video, with committee chairman Nishikant Dubey demanding a personal apology from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and calling for accountability over the incident.

The meeting followed the brief removal of the Prime Minister's Facebook post on paper leaks, which remained unavailable for nearly five hours before being restored. Describing the episode as a "highly serious" matter, Dubey said it reflected either a major system failure or a deliberate attempt to tarnish the Prime Minister's image, adding that such an explanation could not be dismissed as a mere technical glitch.

According to sources, Meta officials expressed regret before the panel and said they were prepared to apologise. However, several MPs argued that an apology alone would not suffice and insisted that responsibility must be fixed, with legal action considered if warranted. The committee has directed Meta to submit a written explanation within 10 days, including a complete audit trail from the video's removal to its restoration and an explanation for the account-level enforcement.

Dubey further said that if Meta failed to adequately address the issue, its safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act should be reconsidered. The provision shields intermediaries from liability for third-party content, subject to compliance with due diligence requirements, making any challenge to it a significant legal and policy issue.

The panel also questioned Meta over algorithmic bias, asking why lawful content was removed while objectionable material, including content related to child and women sexual abuse, allegedly remained online. Members sought details on Meta's ability to detect deepfakes involving the Prime Minister and asked who bears ultimate responsibility for content moderation decisions.

According to sources, Opposition MPs stressed that space for dissent is essential in a democracy and cautioned that anti-government content should not automatically be treated as anti-national, highlighting the need to balance platform accountability with freedom of expression.

The meeting, held as part of the committee's review of "Social and Digital Platforms and Their Regulation," was attended by officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and representatives of Meta, Google, X, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube. The discussion underscored broader concerns over content moderation, transparency, intermediary liability, regulatory compliance, and the accountability of global technology companies operating in India.