Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan on Wednesday apologised to the Centre for the “error restricting” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook post, as the social media giant sought to defuse
a controversy that has snowballed into wider scrutiny over deepfakes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), content moderation and its legal protections in India.
Kaplan conveyed the apology during a meeting with Information Technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, saying, “I apologised to the minister on behalf of Meta for the error restricting PM Modi’s post.” The company maintained that the brief restriction of the prime minister’s post last month was the result of an operational error.
The meeting came after the Centre summoned Meta’s senior global executives seeking an explanation over the temporary removal of PM Modi’s Facebook post on July 23, in which he addressed students amid nationwide protests over examination paper leaks. The government had sought clarity on how the platform’s moderation systems flagged the prime minister’s content and what safeguards would be put in place to prevent similar incidents involving high-profile accounts.
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However, the discussions extended far beyond the prime minister’s post.
According to government sources, Meta’s delegation also discussed concerns over the presence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), AI-generated deepfake content and broader lapses in platform operations. Separately, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is learnt to have apologised to the Indian government over the presence of CSAM, deepfakes and operational shortcomings on Meta’s platforms during the discussions with officials.
Government officials also raised questions over algorithmic transparency, protections for verified accounts and Meta’s compliance with Indian laws. During the meeting, Meta acknowledged operational lapses and, according to officials, admitted that paid promotion had amplified certain categories of content on its platforms.
The controversy has also reached Parliament. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology sought an unconditional apology from Zuckerberg over the removal of the prime minister’s post and warned that failure to act could jeopardise Meta’s “safe harbour” protections under the Information Technology Act. Committee chairman Nishikant Dubey argued that the temporary removal of the Prime Minister’s content could not be treated as the action of a neutral intermediary alone.
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“If Facebook does not take action against those responsible in this matter, the Safe Harbour Clause will be removed. Mark Zuckerberg will have to apologise. Otherwise, a case may be filed,” Dubey said, as per sources.
The Centre has also indicated that it is examining whether platforms that algorithmically curate and recommend content can continue to claim intermediary protections in the same manner as passive hosts. Officials said the discussions with Meta form part of a broader effort to ensure greater accountability from large digital platforms operating in India.
