Meta apologises to India after Prime Minister's video is removed

Meta's chief global affairs officer said the company apologized to the Indian government for mistakenly taking down a video posted by the prime minister.

Meta confirmed that a software glitch caused the deletion of a video featuring the prime minister reaching out to student protesters, and the company issued an apology through chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan on behalf of CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The apology follows a three-day ultimatum from a parliamentary standing committee chaired by Nishikant Dubey, which threatened to revoke Meta's safe-harbour shield if the firm did not acknowledge the error.

In discussions with officials, Meta admitted that paid promotion had amplified illegal content, including child sexual abuse material and deepfakes, and pledged corrective measures. Government ministers, including Ashwini Vaishnaw, cautioned that selective algorithmic boosting could strip Meta of intermediary immunity, exposing it to legal action. The meeting occurred amid broader concerns about Facebook's role in amplifying anti-government sentiment and harmful reels.

Meta will face another summons to address these issues, though details of the next session were not disclosed. The Indian authorities are also reviewing international models for online child safety as part of a wider policy overhaul.