Centre Summons Meta's Top Policy Head Again as PM Video Row Deepens

The Union government has summoned Meta's global public policy head, Joel Kaplan, for the second time in a week, according to sources. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, and technical officials from Instagram have also been asked to appear.

Sources said the government wants to understand how Meta's algorithm works. This follows multiple complaints that certain posts critical of the government receive more traction on the platform compared to other content.

Last week, Kaplan was summoned by the Ministry of Information and Technology over the removal of a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Facebook. The government is expected to seek a written apology from Meta for the removal and a written explanation of the "technical glitch" that caused it.

The fresh summoning comes amid escalating tension between the government and the social media giant over content moderation. On Monday, Meta officials faced tough questions from the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology. The company's representatives apologised for the technical glitch that briefly took down the PM's video.

The video in question contained PM Modi's message to Gen Z, in which he promised stringent action against paper leaks. It was uploaded on July 23 during a student protest. The video was temporarily removed from Facebook and later restored.

After the parliamentary committee meeting, the panel's chairman, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, said Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg will have to apologise for the removal. He warned that if the apology is not given, Meta may no longer have "safe harbour" protection in several cases. The safe harbour provision, under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, shields intermediaries from liability for user-generated content, provided they follow due diligence and remove unlawful content when notified.

According to sources, committee members told Meta officials that the matter is not limited to an apology. They stressed the need for accountability and the possibility of legal action. Members also asked what protection is available to ordinary social media users in India, if even the Prime Minister's video can be removed without prior notice.

Following the first meeting last week, the Meta team had assured the government of enhanced safeguards for PM Modi's posts, sources said. The company has communicated that prominent accounts will receive additional oversight. Going forward, only senior Meta officials will vet such posts, and any decision will be reviewed by at least two senior officials, according to the platform's latest communication to the ministry.

Officials from Google, YouTube, and senior representatives from the Home and IT ministries were also present at the parliamentary panel meeting.

The repeated summoning underscores the government's scrutiny of social media platforms and their content moderation practices. It also highlights the broader debate over algorithm transparency and the responsibility of global technology companies to respect national laws and sensitivities.

The outcome of Wednesday's meeting is expected to shape the government's next steps in its engagement with Meta and other social media platforms operating in India.