Meta has provided a formal explanation to the Indian government regarding the temporary removal of a Facebook video post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The social media giant attributed the incident to a "technical glitch" and has detailed new, more stringent safeguards for prominent accounts.
Incident Sparks Government Concern
The controversy arose after a video post by PM Modi, addressing the NEET paper leak, was temporarily taken down from Facebook. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) expressed significant dissatisfaction with Meta's initial explanation, labeling the occurrence as "extremely disturbing." Following the incident, MeitY summoned a senior Meta executive to seek a comprehensive clarification.
New Safeguards for High-Profile Accounts
In response to the government's concerns, Meta has assured that it has implemented enhanced moderation protocols specifically for the Prime Minister's account and other selected prominent public figures. According to a PTI report, these new safeguards ensure that content from such high-profile accounts undergoes additional layers of review before any action, such as removal or restriction, is taken.
Stricter Review Process
- Posts from prominent accounts will now face extra moderation, involving multiple review stages by senior Meta officials.
- Any moderation decision concerning these accounts will go through a stricter approval process.
- At least two senior Meta officials must review and approve any action taken on content from these high-profile profiles.
These measures aim to significantly reduce the likelihood of errors and prevent similar incidents from recurring. Meta has also shared its internal assessment of what went wrong and how it plans to avoid future issues.
Awaiting Government's Response
As of now, the Indian government has not publicly responded to Meta's outlined safeguards. However, a response is anticipated soon, and Meta officials are reportedly scheduled to meet with government counterparts in the coming days to discuss these developments further.