Meta executives expected to meet govt on 5th and 6th August, says MeitY Secretary S Krishnan
New Delhi, August 4
Meta executives will likely meet government representatives on August 5 and 6 to discuss legal and compliance issues, synthetically generated content and safeguards for content takedowns involving prominent personalities, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan said.
This comes days after a video on action against examination paper leaks posted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Facebook was briefly removed, with Meta attributing the incident to a technical error.
"Meta executives are expected to meet govt representatives on 5th and 6th August. Issues related to India's law, compliance issues, synthetically generated information, safeguards on content take downs related to prominent personalities are expected to be taken up," the MeitY Secretary said.
The social media platform briefly restricted access to the video in the early hours of July 28 before restoring it. Furthermore, 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 video was originally posted on July 23 and marked Prime Minister Modi's first direct address to Gen Z amid a 36-day student agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
Following the incident, the government had asked Meta to send its senior-most representatives to explain the circumstances surrounding the issue and provide clarity at both policy and technical levels.
The MeitY Secretary said that Meta has written to the government expressing regret over the incident and shared its understanding of the reasons behind it.
"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," he said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's good that they're meeting, but I hope this doesn't become another one of those talks where nothing concrete comes out. Platforms like Meta need clear, enforceable rules for Indian context. Also, the "technical error" excuse sounds a bit suspicious honestly. Let's see what protocols they've actually put in place.
Honestly, this was long overdue. India is one of Meta's biggest markets, and they can't keep treating our content moderation with kid gloves. The PM's video being removed, accidental or not, exposed how little control we have over these platforms. Glad the government is stepping up. 🇮🇳
The focus on synthetically generated content is critical. Deepfakes are rampant in India - from political misinformation to personal harassment. I'm glad the government is pushing for safeguards, especially for prominent personalities whose videos can be easily manipulated and cause chaos.
Interesting development. While accountability is important, I also hope the discussions don't push for overly restrictive measures that might impinge on freedom of expression. It's a fine balance - protecting against harmful content while ensuring platforms aren't gatekeepers of truth. India's digital ecosystem deserves careful thought here.
As someone who works in social media management, this is a welcome step. Content takedown policies, especially for high-profile accounts, need transparency and a clear escalation mechanism. Meta's automatic systems can be flawed, and having a direct channel with the government is progress. Let's hope for actionable outcomes rather than just discussions! 👍
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.