The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has issued a three-day ultimatum to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, demanding an apology for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook video. The committee warned that failure to comply could result in the withdrawal of legal immunity for Meta under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. The incident has triggered significant political and regulatory scrutiny in India.
According to Hindustan Times, the panel’s warning follows the brief removal of a Facebook reel posted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which addressed the nation’s youth and promised strict action against paper leaks. The video was restricted for several hours before being restored, with Meta attributing the removal to an algorithmic error.
As reported by The Indian Express, the committee stated that if Mark Zuckerberg does not issue an unqualified apology within three days of receiving the letter, Meta’s protection under Section 79(3) of the IT Act may be withdrawn and action could be taken against him as a publisher. The panel also called for action against those responsible for the incident.
As highlighted by The Observer Post, the committee, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, described the removal of the Prime Minister’s video as an “attack on democracy.” The committee warned that if safe harbour protection is withdrawn, Meta officials could face direct criminal proceedings after government approval. The panel also questioned Meta about the presence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), AI-generated explicit content, and deepfake videos on its platforms.
“Mark Zuckerberg will have to apologise. Otherwise, a case may be filed,” the committee said, according to The Observer Post.
As further details emerged, the Lok Sabha secretariat informed the government that if Zuckerberg does not apologise, Meta’s protection under the IT Act may be withdrawn and he may face action. The committee’s statement emphasised the seriousness of the issue, particularly given the high-profile nature of the content and the potential implications for intermediary liability.
During the parliamentary committee meeting, a Meta executive apologised for the removal, attributing it to an algorithmic error and assuring the panel that steps would be taken to prevent recurrence. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has summoned Meta’s global executives for further discussions, which will address compliance with Indian laws, CSAM, synthetically generated content, and safeguards for verified accounts.
“There will be a range of issues… We know that the CSAM issue was raised… what measures have been taken regarding that? Synthetically generated information… to what extent that is being looked at? For prominent personalities, they have verified accounts. When content gets taken down, there have to be safeguards,” MeitY Secretary S Krishnan stated.
Legal experts noted that safe harbour protection shields social media platforms from liability for user-generated content, provided they comply with Indian laws and due diligence requirements. Losing this protection could expose Meta to direct legal action over content hosted on its platforms.
Opposition MPs raised concerns about the focus of the matter, stating that the issue is about regulating technology rather than censorship as coverage revealed. The government has indicated that it expects Meta to strengthen its systems to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.