govt-gives-meta-3-days-to-apologise-over-pm-video-removal

The Centre on Wednesday issued a three-day ultimatum to Meta, demanding an unconditional apology from CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video on exam reforms from Facebook, and warned that the company could lose its safe harbour protection under the Information Technology Act if it failed to comply.

 

The warning came during a meeting between Information Technology Secretary S. Krishnan and Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan and Vice-President of Global Policy Kevin Martin, who were summoned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology over the video takedown and concerns regarding the presence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on Meta's platforms.

 

According to the government, Meta has been directed to restore full compliance with Indian laws, remove objectionable content promptly and submit its response within three days. Officials said non-compliance could invite action under Section 79(3) of the Information Technology Act, resulting in the withdrawal of the intermediary's safe harbour protection, which shields online platforms from liability for third-party content under certain conditions.

 

The issue also drew sharp criticism from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, which sought an unconditional apology from Zuckerberg within the same three-day period. In a letter to the IT Secretary, with a copy to the Union Home Secretary, the panel recommended that Meta's legal immunity be withdrawn if the apology was not forthcoming and suggested that Zuckerberg be proceeded against as a publisher.

 

The committee described the removal of the Prime Minister's video, which addressed students and Gen Z on examination reforms and action against paper leaks, as a serious matter.

 

The panel also reiterated concerns over the availability of CSAM and content degrading women across digital platforms. It urged strict enforcement of Indian laws against intermediaries that fail to remove such illegal material expeditiously, stressing that safe harbour protection should not extend to platforms that repeatedly violate statutory obligations.