The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has issued a stern warning to Meta over the brief removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's July 23 video from Facebook, demanding an apology from CEO Mark Zuckerberg within three days and action against those responsible for the incident.

The committee, headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, described the temporary restriction of the Prime Minister's video as a serious matter, calling it an affront to democratic institutions. Members argued that the removal of content posted by the elected representative of over 1.4 billion Indians raises significant concerns.

The panel warned that if Meta fails to identify those responsible and take corrective action, authorities could reconsider the company's safe harbour protections, which currently shield digital platforms from liability for user-generated content under certain conditions. Committee members also indicated that legal proceedings could follow if the issue remains unresolved.

PM Modi's Video Briefly Removed

The controversy centres around a selfie-style video shared by Prime Minister Modi on July 23. In the clip, the Prime Minister addressed young Indians and promised strict measures against paper leaks amid nationwide protests led by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

While the video remained available on Instagram, the Facebook version was briefly restricted before being restored following widespread criticism on social media.

Meta later attributed the incident to a technical error and reinstated the content.

Meta's Explanation Faces Scrutiny

During a recent meeting with the parliamentary panel, Meta representatives apologised for the temporary removal and cited a technical glitch as the reason behind the incident.

However, government officials reportedly questioned the explanation, arguing that a global technology company should have stronger systems in place to prevent such errors and respond more effectively when they occur.

The committee maintained that the company's justification was insufficient and emphasised the need for greater accountability.

Panel Raises Concerns Over Child Safety Online

The committee also turned its attention to the growing issue of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) circulating on digital platforms, including paid advertisements on social media.

Meta has already received a government notice over allegations related to objectionable content appearing on Instagram. The parliamentary panel warned that all major social media companies—including Google, YouTube, X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat—must comply with child protection rules or face legal action.

According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 1,099 out of 1,238 cybercrime cases involving children in 2024 were linked to the publication or transmission of sexually explicit material involving minors. Overall crimes against children reportedly increased by 5.8 per cent, reaching 1.87 lakh cases, while offences against children have risen sharply since 2020.

Speaking on the issue, Nishikant Dubey described child sexual abuse material and AI-generated obscene content targeting women as grave crimes that transcend political and social divisions.