Meta to appear before govt to explain policy, technical issues within 7-10 days: MeitY Secy
New Delhi, July 30
Meta has agreed to appear before the government to explain policy and technical issues concerning the company, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Secretary S Krishnan said on Thursday.
Speaking to ANI, Krishnan said the government has asked Meta to send its senior-most representatives to explain the circumstances surrounding the issues flagged by authorities and provide clarity at both policy and technical levels.
"Meta, we have asked them to come in at the highest level and explain what is happening and why the kind of issues that we see...," he said stressing the government wants to understand the issues from both policy and technical perspectives and assess how the company can adapt its practices to address India's concerns.
Krishnan said the government is currently examining the matter and has sought views from several messaging platforms as part of its assessment. He also said Meta has written to the government expressing regret over the incident and shared its understanding of the reasons behind it.
When asked what is the timeline for meta representative have been given, he said, "I think within the next week, ten days. We are examining that. We have got the views of a number of the platforms, messaging platforms," he said.
On WhatsApp username issue, he said, "We are examining. We have got we have got the views of a number of the platforms, messaging platforms."
According to Krishnan, Meta has also informed the government that it established new protocols on July 28 concerning accounts of prominent persons to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
"Meta has written to government expressing regret over the incident and that it had happened. They have also given us the reasons, their understanding of the reason why it happened and they have also indicated that as of 28th of July, they have established new protocols relating to accounts of prominent persons to avoid such a situation from recurring."
This follows a recent glitch on the platform, after Meta said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook video on action against examination paper leaks had been removed due to a technical error. The video was briefly unavailable before being restored.
"The content was removed in error and has since been restored," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.
The Meta-owned social media platform briefly restricted access to the video in the early hours of July 28 before restoring it. Originally released on July 23, the video marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first direct address to Gen Z amid the 36-day-long student agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone working in tech, I appreciate Meta finally taking responsibility. But let's be honest - algorithmic bias isn't new. The real question is whether these new protocols will actually stick or just be PR. India deserves better than half-baked apologies.
Good that government is taking this seriously. When it comes to our PM's content, there should be zero tolerance for errors. But I also hope this leads to broader reforms - not just for VIPs but for all Indian users who face arbitrary content takedowns daily.
Meta's 'technical error' excuse is getting old. First the Modi video, now they want 10 days to explain? India should push for binding regulations with teeth. The digital sovereignty debate is real - we can't let foreign platforms dictate our political discourse.
Interesting timing - just before elections too. But honestly, whether it's Meta or any platform, they need clearer guidelines from our government. Instead of ad-hoc summons, why not create a proper digital media code? Also, this Cockroach Janta Party connection seems suspicious.
As a digital rights advocate, I'm watching this closely. On one hand, Meta's error is unacceptable. On the other, I hope this doesn't lead to more censorship. We need transparency from both sides - government and platforms. The new protocols sound promising but let's see the details.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.