Indian Parliamentary Panel Grills Meta Over Modi Video Removal

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, chaired by MP Nishikant Dubey, summoned representatives from Meta, Google, X, and Snapchat on August 3, 2026, to discuss the regulation of digital platforms. The meeting in New Delhi focused on data privacy, the rise of AI-generated deepfakes, and child safety on Instagram.

A primary point of contention was the brief removal of a Facebook video posted on July 23 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi concerning NEET-UG 2026 examination irregularities. While Meta described the incident as a technical error and expressed regret, both the committee and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology rejected this explanation as inadequate. Committee members demanded a full audit trail to determine if the removal was a system failure or a deliberate act, with some MPs calling for legal accountability rather than an apology.

Parallel to the parliamentary hearing, Meta is cooperating with Hyderabad Cybercrime police regarding cases involving objectionable content targeting the Prime Minister during the Cockroach Janta Party-led agitations. The committee also questioned Meta on algorithmic bias and the alleged suppression of pro-India pages, emphasizing the need for platforms to comply with Indian public order laws.