Indian govt questions Meta over content moderation, says platforms must follow laws
The government asked Meta to explain why PM Modi's video post was briefly removed from Facebook and Meta's handling of CSAM on its platforms.
- Aug 5, 2026,
- Updated Aug 5, 2026 3:56 PM IST
On August 5, Meta executives met with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) officials around the removal of PM Modi's Facebook post. Sources suggest that the meeting lasted for around 45 minutes, and it was attended by Meta’s Joel Kaplan, his team and MeitY’s S. Krishnan.
During the meeting, the government asked Meta to explain why PM Modi's video post was briefly removed from Facebook, Meta's handling of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its platforms, and also discussed what officials described as deficiencies in Meta's compliance with government requirements.
Must read: 3-day ultimatum: Parliamentary panel warns Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg over PM Modi video removal
According to sources, a second round of meetings is scheduled for August 6; further discussions on the matter will continue. Govt has reportedly told all social media platforms operating in India to comply with Indian laws to ensure compliance with existing legal and regulatory requirements.
The government official also expressed concerns over instances of alleged misuse of social media platforms, including the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post addressing students, selective enforcement of platform policies, and the presence of abusive content. It also highlighted that social media platforms must take corrective action and bring greater compliance.
Must read: After PM Modi video removal, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey wants Meta head Mark Zuckerberg to say sorry
Meta and other social media platforms responded, saying that they already have strict internal content moderation rules and fact-checking mechanisms. Previously, the govt was not satisfied with Meta's response on ways of handling the incident, and is demanding greater explation from “report to restoration” of the video post.
In addition to the high-level talk, the centre has also given a 3-day ultimatum to Meta to issue a personal apology to PM Modi. If Meta fails to take corrective action and apologise, the govt may consider withdrawing Facebook's Safe Harbour protection, which protects social media platforms from being held legally liable for content posted by users.
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On August 5, Meta executives met with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) officials around the removal of PM Modi's Facebook post. Sources suggest that the meeting lasted for around 45 minutes, and it was attended by Meta’s Joel Kaplan, his team and MeitY’s S. Krishnan.
During the meeting, the government asked Meta to explain why PM Modi's video post was briefly removed from Facebook, Meta's handling of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its platforms, and also discussed what officials described as deficiencies in Meta's compliance with government requirements.
Must read: 3-day ultimatum: Parliamentary panel warns Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg over PM Modi video removal
According to sources, a second round of meetings is scheduled for August 6; further discussions on the matter will continue. Govt has reportedly told all social media platforms operating in India to comply with Indian laws to ensure compliance with existing legal and regulatory requirements.
The government official also expressed concerns over instances of alleged misuse of social media platforms, including the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post addressing students, selective enforcement of platform policies, and the presence of abusive content. It also highlighted that social media platforms must take corrective action and bring greater compliance.
Must read: After PM Modi video removal, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey wants Meta head Mark Zuckerberg to say sorry
Meta and other social media platforms responded, saying that they already have strict internal content moderation rules and fact-checking mechanisms. Previously, the govt was not satisfied with Meta's response on ways of handling the incident, and is demanding greater explation from “report to restoration” of the video post.
In addition to the high-level talk, the centre has also given a 3-day ultimatum to Meta to issue a personal apology to PM Modi. If Meta fails to take corrective action and apologise, the govt may consider withdrawing Facebook's Safe Harbour protection, which protects social media platforms from being held legally liable for content posted by users.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine