The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology has called for Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to personally apologise for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video from Facebook. This request followed a meeting on 3 August 2026, during which committee chairman Nishikant Dubey conveyed the seriousness of the incident. According to Dubey, Meta confirmed that the video was unavailable on the platform for approximately five hours, from 12.30 am to 5 am.

He emphasised that this matter warrants an apology directly from Zuckerberg, describing it as a significant issue for governance and social media interaction. Dubey mentioned that failure to deliver an apology could lead the government to reconsider Meta’s safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, which shields intermediaries from liability for third-party content under specific conditions.

Details Surrounding the Video’s Removal

The context of the video’s removal stems from a Facebook post by PM Modi regarding actions against paper leaks, which was reportedly taken down briefly. Meta had initially indicated that the incident was a result of a technical glitch, after which they restored the post and issued an apology. However, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology regarded this explanation as insufficient, sparking further inquiries.

The parliamentary committee has requested that Meta submit a comprehensive written response within a timeframe of ten days. During the meeting, several MPs from the Bharatiya Janata Party expressed their concerns about the decision-making process behind the removal and sought clarity on who was responsible for authorising the action.

Committee members raised questions about potential algorithmic bias, citing instances where objectionable material remained accessible while genuine content faced removal. This raised concerns regarding the transparency and accountability of social media platforms.

Meta Officials Acknowledge Errors

Sources have indicated that representatives of Meta expressed regret during the committee meeting and indicated a willingness to apologise. However, BJP members contended that merely issuing an apology would not suffice; they pressed for stronger accountability and warned that legal action could be pursued if necessary.

Opposition members within the committee presented an alternative viewpoint, advocating for the necessity of social media platforms to safeguard spaces for dissent within a democratic framework. They cautioned against conflating criticism of the government with anti-national rhetoric.

This meeting was a part of a broader investigation by the parliamentary committee into the regulation of social and digital platforms. In addition to Meta officials, the committee also convened representatives from other tech platforms, including Google, X, YouTube, and Snapchat. The events have highlighted ongoing concerns about how major social media platforms address political content and the implications of their moderation practices on public discourse.

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