The Central government has once again summoned senior executives of US tech giant Meta Platforms after its Facebook platform briefly restricted a video post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, a senior government official said on Thursday.
"We have asked Meta to come in at the highest level and explain what is happening," S Krishnan, Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said on Thursday. He did not specify which company executives had been asked to appear.
Krishnan said Meta had informed Indian authorities that it has introduced new protocols for accounts belonging to prominent public figures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
The latest summons come two days after the government first sought an explanation from the social media giant over the brief takedown, which officials described as a serious matter.
The controversy erupted after a video message by the Prime Minister, first posted on Instagram and later shared on Facebook, was temporarily restricted on Facebook before being restored.
Meta had earlier apologised for the incident, saying the content was removed inadvertently. "The content was removed in error and has since been restored," a Meta spokesperson had said, while sources attributed the incident to a technical glitch.
Government sources had earlier said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology viewed the matter "very seriously" and had summoned senior Meta executives, including global officials, to explain the temporary removal.
Meta India did not immediately respond to news agency Reuters' request for comment on Thursday.
The video, posted shortly before midnight on July 23, marked Modi's first public address to students amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. In the message, the Prime Minister acknowledged the anxiety faced by lakhs of students and their families and said the government had taken swift steps to prevent the loss of an academic year.
He said those responsible for the paper leak had been arrested and jailed, while emphasising that the government had mobilised all available resources to conduct examinations for around 22 lakh NEET aspirants without delay.
The address came during a week of escalating student protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding accountability over the examination controversy and the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who later stepped down.
The brief disappearance of the video from Facebook was quickly noticed by BJP leaders and supporters, who accused the platform of censoring the Prime Minister's message. BJP leader Tajinder Bagga was among those who publicly questioned Meta over the incident.
Despite the temporary restriction on Facebook, the video gained massive traction on Instagram, where it has now crossed 404 million views. The clip had earlier surpassed 303 million views within 24 hours, setting what the government described as a global record for viewership on the platform.
Following the overwhelming response, PM shared another video thanking young people for their support and feedback, saying he hoped to remain connected with them through meaningful engagement.
Source: ANI