NEW DELHI, Jul 28: Meta has restored Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook video after admitting it was removed in error, ending a brief disruption that drew the attention of the Centre and prompted the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to reportedly seek an explanation from the company’s top officials.
The video, uploaded on July 23, featured the Prime Minister addressing Generation Z and discussing examination paper leaks. During the address, Modi said stricter measures to curb paper leaks would be taken up at an upcoming Union Cabinet meeting. Before its temporary removal, the video had garnered millions of views on Facebook.
According to reports, access to the video was initially restricted following what appeared to be a legal request. However, Meta later clarified that the removal was accidental and not the result of any intentional content moderation decision. The company reinstated the video soon after identifying the error.
The incident reportedly led MeitY to summon the global heads of Meta and Instagram to explain the erroneous removal of the Prime Minister’s official content.
The episode has renewed focus on the responsibility of social media platforms to ensure accurate and transparent content moderation, particularly when handling communications from constitutional authorities. It also underscores the government’s expectation that digital platforms maintain accountability and act promptly to rectify mistakes.
Earlier this month, another social media post by the Prime Minister reportedly added nearly one million Instagram followers overnight, taking his total following close to 101 million. Modi remains the world’s most-followed political leader on social media, reflecting his extensive digital outreach. (Agencies)
