PM Modi Facebook Video Row: Government Rejects Meta's Clarification, Seeks Detailed Explanation Over Major Lapse

The Central Government has intensified its scrutiny of Meta after the temporary restriction of a Facebook post shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Unhappy with the company's initial apology, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought a detailed technical and policy-based explanation, describing the incident as a serious lapse rather than a routine error.

The government has also summoned senior Meta officials to appear before the ministry within the next 7 to 10 days.

Government Rejects Meta's 'Technical Glitch' Explanation

Following the controversy, Meta informed the government that the temporary restriction of the Prime Minister's Facebook post resulted from a technical glitch and apologized for the incident.

However, the Centre has made it clear that the explanation is insufficient.

According to S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the government wants to understand the exact technical and policy-related reasons behind the incident and the circumstances under which the Prime Minister's official post was restricted.

The ministry has emphasized that posts from constitutional authorities require the highest level of platform reliability and accountability.

Senior Meta Officials Summoned

To examine the matter further, MeitY has asked senior Meta representatives to appear before government officials within the coming week.

During the meeting, the government is expected to seek answers on:

The exact cause of the temporary restriction.

Whether the incident resulted from technical or policy-related processes.

Measures taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Internal safeguards for high-profile government accounts.

What Was the Facebook Post About?

The controversy revolves around a Facebook video uploaded on July 23, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the country's youth and assured strict action against examination paper leaks, including those related to NEET.

The post was reportedly restricted for a brief period before being restored, triggering concerns within the government.

Centre Calls It a Serious Matter

Government officials believe that an issue involving the Prime Minister's official social media account cannot be treated as a routine moderation error.

The Centre has therefore demanded a comprehensive review of the incident and expects Meta to explain how such an event occurred despite existing safeguards for verified public accounts.

Meta Introduces New Monitoring Protocol

Following the government's strong response, Meta has informed officials that it has introduced a new monitoring protocol aimed at preventing similar incidents.

According to the company:

A new system was implemented on July 28.

Additional monitoring will be applied to accounts belonging to the Prime Minister and other high-profile public figures.

The objective is to ensure that important public-interest content is not mistakenly restricted because of technical or operational errors.

Why This Matters

The incident has renewed the debate around the accountability of global social media platforms operating in India. As governments increasingly rely on digital platforms for public communication, regulators are demanding greater transparency, stronger safeguards, and faster responses when errors affect official accounts.

The upcoming meeting between Meta and the government is expected to clarify the reasons behind the incident and determine whether additional compliance measures will be required in the future.