PM Modi Video Takedown: Meta Apologises For 'Error', IT Ministry Summons Top Officials

New Delhi: After Meta-owned Facebook briefly restricted access to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first selfie videoaddressing Gen Z, the tech giant has now apologised to the Indian government, claiming the takedown was the result of a technical glitch.Meta, in a statement, said, "The content was removed in error and has since been restored." However, the government is learnt to be taking the matter seriously, with sources telling that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has summoned the Global Head of Meta for Facebook and Instagram, along with the company’s Global Head of Public Policy, over the temporary restriction of a video posted by PM. According to earlier info, at around 1:25 am on Tuesday, the "See Why" option

on the video showed that the content had been restricted in India in compliance with a legal request. Meta's notice did not specify the legal provision or the authority behind the request. The video, which had drawn millions of views since it was uploaded, is now available again on Facebook in India after the temporary block was lifted.

The Record-Breaking Reel

Meanwhile, PM Modicreated a new record on Instagram after his Reel on stopping paper leaks crossed 303 million views within just 24 hours. The achievement made it the most-viewed Instagram Reel in history during a single day.The video, shared on the night of July 23, received a massive response from users across the platform. Along with record-breaking views, the Reel collected more than 16 million likes, 1.5 million comments, and helped PM Modi’s Instagram account gain nearly one million new followers overnight.The reel focused on the government's roadmap to curb paper leaks and strengthen the examination system, arriving at a time when students across the country were protesting over alleged irregularities in competitive exams.In the video, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined tougher action against those involved in paper leak cases, including plans to introduce stricter laws and establish fast-track courts to ensure swift prosecution and quicker resolution of such offences.Before the buzz around the first video had subsided, PM Modi's official Instagram account released another video on July 24. He once again began by saying, "Thank you, friends...", which again appeared to resonate with Gen Z audiences on Instagram. The video was captioned, "Thanks to the youngsters who watched my video yesterday and sent insightful suggestions."In less than 24 hours, the second video had already surpassed 100 million views, received more than 8 million likes, and attracted over 800,000 comments. Following the release of the second video, PM Modi's Instagram following rose further to 103 million.