Meta Apologises After PM Modi's Facebook Post Was Temporarily Restricted
Meta has apologised to the Indian government after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post was mistakenly restricted for nearly five hours. During a meeting with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Meta acknowledged the error and assured improved safeguards. The discussions also covered child sexual abuse material, AI-generated deepfakes, and stronger protections for verified public accounts.
New Delhi: Meta has formally apologised to the Government of India after a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was mistakenly restricted for nearly five hours due to what the company described as an operational error. The apology was delivered by Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer, Joel Kaplan, during a meeting with Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday.
Meta Calls It an Operational Error
According to Meta, the Prime Minister's video message was unintentionally restricted on Facebook before being restored. Kaplan said he apologised on behalf of the company, acknowledging the mistake and assuring the government that corrective measures would be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The issue gained attention after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, warned Meta that it could face consequences if it failed to apologise for the incident.
Government Questions Meta's Explanation
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) reportedly found Meta's initial explanation of a "technical glitch" insufficient and summoned senior global executives for discussions.
Apart from meeting Ashwini Vaishnaw, Meta officials also held talks with IT Secretary S. Krishnan, where broader concerns regarding platform moderation and online safety were discussed.
Child Safety and Deepfakes Also Discussed
Government officials also raised concerns over the presence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), AI-generated deepfake content, and safeguards for verified public figures.
The discussions followed a BBC Eye investigation that highlighted advertisements allegedly promoting child sexual abuse material on Meta platforms. Officials sought details on the steps Meta is taking to improve content moderation and prevent the spread of harmful material.
The government also stressed that verified accounts of prominent personalities should have stronger safeguards before any content is restricted or removed.
Increased Scrutiny on Social Media Platforms
The meeting reflects the government's growing scrutiny of social media platforms regarding content moderation, user safety, and accountability. Authorities have indicated that platforms are expected to strengthen their systems to prevent moderation errors while ensuring the rapid removal of illegal and harmful content.