'Zuckerberg must apologize': Parliamentary panel after PM's video temporarily removed
What's the story
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has demanded an apology from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg after a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was temporarily removed from Facebook. Addressing reporters after chairing a committee meeting, BJP leader Nishikant Dubey said, "Our committee has said two things and has clearly stated that the apology should come from Zuckerberg. If Zuckerberg does not give it, then the safe harbor protection under Section 79 should be withdrawn from him."
Accusations
Dubey cites Zuckerberg's apology
Dubey condemned the removal of PM Modi's video as a serious issue, alleging it was an attempt to destabilize India.
"When a video of the Prime Minister of India can be removed, and they themselves admitted that the content was missing for five hours, from 12:30am to 5:00am this is a very serious matter," he said after an over three-hour meeting of the parliamentary panel during which MPs questioned Meta and other social media platform representatives.
Criticism
Dubey slams other platforms too
He also referred to Zuckerberg's earlier statement regarding the 2024 elections.
"If you recall, Zuckerberg...made a statement in January regarding the 2024 elections and later apologized. This shows that his intention is to destabilize the country."
Dubey also criticized Meta, YouTube, and X for not doing enough to tackle issues with their algorithms and content moderation.
He alleged that these platforms have failed to take action against child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and content harming women despite India's stringent laws.
Clarification
Video of PM Modi briefly removed from Facebook
The controversy erupted in the early hours of July 28, when a video posted by PM Modi on his official Facebook page went missing. The clip was his first direct message to Gen Z amid the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party-led protests over the NEET paper leak.
Accessing the post briefly showed a notice that it had been withheld in India due to a "legal request." However, within hours, it was restored.
Apology
Legal action demanded against those responsible
Meta later apologized for the incident, clarifying that this was due to an internal technical glitch and not any government order or action under its content moderation policies.
However, several members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee have said that this isn't just about an apology but also about fixing accountability.
They have even demanded legal action against those responsible for the video's brief removal from Facebook, per reports.