A parliamentary panel has given Meta three days to respond over the temporary removal of PM Modi’s Facebook video and sought an unconditional apology from Mark Zuckerberg. The panel has also warned that Meta’s safe harbour protection could be reviewed if the company fails to provide a satisfactory response.
Meta Gets 3-Day Deadline as Panel Seeks Zuckerberg Apology
New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has increased pressure on Meta after the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video from Facebook, giving the company three days to respond and demanding an unconditional apology from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
The dispute has intensified scrutiny of how social media platforms moderate political content in India. Meta restored the video after saying it had been removed in error, but lawmakers reportedly found the explanation inadequate.
Meta Faces Three-Day Deadline
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has reportedly directed Meta to submit a detailed response within three days. The panel, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, has sought a personal apology from Zuckerberg over the takedown.
Meta has also been asked to identify the people, systems or moderation processes responsible and explain what safeguards will prevent a repeat. Lawmakers appear to want specific accountability rather than a general statement describing the incident as a mistake.
Panel Rejects Meta’s Explanation
The controversy began when Modi’s video was briefly removed or restricted on Facebook before being restored. Meta later said the content had been taken down by mistake. The Centre then summoned company representatives, while the panel questioned whether automated moderation or an internal review failure caused the incident.
Lawmakers also raised wider concerns about inconsistent moderation. They questioned why important public-interest material could be removed while objectionable or misleading posts sometimes remain available.
Zuckerberg Apology Demand Raises Stakes
The demand for an apology from Zuckerberg has turned the episode into a broader debate over the responsibility of global platform leaders for decisions affecting Indian users. Meta has not publicly confirmed whether Zuckerberg will personally respond within the deadline.
Technology companies have faced questions in India over transparency, grievance handling and enforcement of platform rules. The dispute may increase pressure on platforms to explain how moderation decisions are made, especially when verified accounts and nationally significant communications are involved.
Safe Harbour Warning Deepens Scrutiny
The panel has warned that Meta’s safe harbour protection could be examined if the company fails to provide a satisfactory response. Section 79 of the Information Technology Act generally protects intermediaries from liability for user-generated content when they comply with legal requirements.
Any action affecting that protection would have serious consequences, although it would require a formal process. Attention is now on Meta’s response, whether Zuckerberg issues an apology and what corrective measures the company proposes. The matter is expected to remain under close government and parliamentary scrutiny.
