Meta issued an apology on July 28 after Facebook temporarily blocked a video of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the country, attributing the removal to a technical glitch. The video, originally posted on July 23, became inaccessible to some Indian users before the company identified the error and restored it.
Users attempting to view the video encountered a notice stating that Facebook had restricted the content following a legal request, which sparked questions about the unexpected removal. A Meta spokesperson explained, “The content was removed in error and has since been restored.”
The glitch drew significant attention in India, especially because the video featured the Prime Minister addressing young audiences. In the video, PM Modi discussed plans to introduce tougher laws, fast-track courts, and stricter penalties for those involved in examination paper leaks. He also mentioned that a draft law with stronger measures would be presented to the Union Cabinet.
Indian government officials have taken the incident seriously and are examining how the video became unavailable. Sources indicate that representatives from Meta may be asked to explain the circumstances behind the removal. According to IANS, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has summoned Meta and Instagram’s global heads over the temporary restriction.
The video had garnered millions of views before being briefly restricted. Meta has since restored the content and maintains that the removal was a mistake. The incident has raised broader questions about content moderation and how social media platforms handle communications from key government figures.