Meta Apologises After Facebook Briefly Removes PM Modi's Video in Error
The Union government has sought an explanation from Meta after a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefly removed from Facebook due to an automated moderation error, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The video, posted on 23 July, showed Mr Modi addressing students about the government's actions against NEET examination paper leaks. It was taken down only in India and remained accessible in other countries.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the removal was a mistake: 'The content was removed in error and has since been restored.' The company has apologised for the incident.
Government officials have summoned a senior executive from Meta's policy and government relations team to explain the error and discuss compliance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
This incident comes amid broader scrutiny of Meta's operations in India. The government has previously raised concerns over WhatsApp's proposed username feature, which the IT Ministry warned could facilitate impersonation. Additionally, a BBC investigation uncovered child sexual abuse material (CSAM) advertisements on Instagram.
India is among a handful of nations where government takedown requests are processed automatically by platforms. In contrast, X (formerly Twitter) continues to contest many such requests under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, which can expose platforms to legal liability if disputed content surfaces in court.
The video's brief removal highlights challenges in automated content moderation, particularly for political figures' content. Meta has not disclosed further details about the specific 'legal request' that triggered the flagging, but sources said it was a false positive from an AI tool designed to detect AI-generated content.
