A selfie video clip uploaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi simultaneously on Facebook and Instagram addressing students on July 23 night — his first selfie video ever — was briefly removed from the platform by Meta and was later restored. With the Modi government taking a serious note of it and seeking an explanation, the US-headquartered technology giant on Tuesday, July 28, apologised for the “error”.
Meta said the video was taken down due to a technical error. A company spokesperson confirmed that the content was restored soon after the issue was identified.
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Government is reportedly treating the matter with seriousness and is assessing the circumstances that led to the video’s removal. Officials are reviewing Meta’s explanation while examining whether the incident raises broader concerns about content moderation practices and platform accountability.
Modi’s video received particularly strong attention on Instagram, where he reportedly gained around 1 million new followers overnight after posting it. A few days later, Facebook made headlines when the video was briefly removed or restricted due to what Meta later described as a technical error before restoring it and apologising.
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Senior representatives from Meta, along with officials associated with Instagram, may be required to appear before the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to provide a detailed account of how the incident occurred, government sources have said. Government is expected to seek clarification on the platform’s internal processes and the safeguards in place to prevent similar incidents in the future, they said.
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While government has not yet announced any decision, the review reflects growing scrutiny of how global technology companies manage content on their platforms, particularly when it involves public figures and matters of national significance.
The developments are being closely watched as authorities continue to evaluate Meta’s response and determine whether any further regulatory or administrative action is necessary, said sources.
