Government Demands Answers from Meta Over PM Modi Video Removal
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has reacted strongly to the temporary removal of a video post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Facebook, labeling the incident an "extremely disturbing occurrence." The ministry has rejected Meta's initial explanation of a "technical glitch" as unsatisfactory and is now demanding a comprehensive technical explanation.
The incident, which occurred on July 28, involved Meta removing a video post by Prime Minister Modi concerning the NEET paper leak issue. Although Meta quickly restored the post, citing a technical error and issuing an apology, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan stated that a mere apology is not enough.
"Unacceptable Incident" Says MeitY Secretary
Secretary Krishnan emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "The removal of posts from a verified Facebook account is a serious and unacceptable incident. It was an extremely disturbing occurrence; it should have never happened." While acknowledging Meta's apology, Krishnan found their explanation unconvincing.
"I think the explanation that it was a technical ground and that there was a technical glitch does not appear to be an acceptable explanation in its entirety," he added, highlighting the government's skepticism regarding the simplicity of the error.
Call for Detailed Technical Explanation and Account Ringfencing
MeitY is pushing for a detailed technical meeting with Meta to thoroughly understand the root cause of the incident. The ministry intends to seek assurances that verified accounts belonging to prominent Indian personalities will be "ringfenced" to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Krishnan stated, "We will have a very detailed technical meeting as to how these things happen. We will seek assurances that the handles of prominent personalities in India should be ringfenced, and once it's a verified account, it should be ensured that content that is posted there is not removed on such flimsy grounds or on such mistakes which happen."
This incident comes amid broader scrutiny of digital platforms. MeitY is also currently reviewing explanations from WhatsApp and other platforms regarding the controversial username feature, indicating an ongoing focus on accountability and control over digital content and features.