An Indian parliamentary panel on Wednesday demanded that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologize after Facebook and Instagram briefly removed a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The panel also urged the government to consider action against the company, arguing the incident went beyond the role of a social media intermediary.
Why did India warn Meta over Modi's video removal?
India's parliamentary panel said Meta should apologize because it believes the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video amounted to editorial action rather than a technical error. The committee also warned that the company could risk losing its safe harbor protections if it failed to respond.
Meta said the video's removal was caused by a technical error. The video, in which Modi addressed students during youth-led protests on July 23, was later restored on both Facebook and Instagram.
Nishikant Dubey, who chairs the parliamentary standing committee on communications and information technology and is a lawmaker from Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), rejected Meta's explanation.
"Deleting the prime minister's video was not the work of an intermediary, but that of a publisher," Dubey said.
He added that Zuckerberg must apologize within three days.
Can India's parliamentary panel take action against Meta?
India's parliamentary standing committees examine government policies and can summon officials or company executives to answer questions. However, they cannot impose penalties, revoke legal protections, or initiate prosecutions on their own.
Dubey said the committee had written to the interior and technology ministries seeking action against Meta.
"If he does not apologize, then all the safe harbor protections that have been provided to his social media platforms should end," Dubey told reporters.
Indian media reported that Meta officials had been summoned to explain the temporary removal of the video. Meta did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.
Why was Modi's video significant?
Modi posted the vertical video on July 23, at the height of youth-led protests organized by the online Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The demonstrations began in New Delhi over alleged examination irregularities before expanding into a broader movement focused on jobs, opportunities for young people, and criticism of Modi's government.
A frequent user of X, Modi turned to Instagram by posting his first vertical videos to connect with younger audiences. In the video, he assured students that the government would introduce stricter laws and tougher punishments for examination paper leaks.
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