The Centre has summoned Meta’s global public policy head Joel Kaplan for the second time within a week amid an escalating controversy over the temporary removal of a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Instagram.
The government has also called senior technical officials from Meta’s Instagram team as it seeks clarification over the circumstances surrounding the removal of the video. The development comes amid growing questions about content moderation, platform algorithms and the manner in which social media companies handle politically sensitive material in India.
According to sources, officials are seeking detailed explanations from Meta on how its algorithms operate and what mechanisms are involved in determining whether content is removed, restricted or restored. The government is particularly interested in understanding why the Prime Minister’s video was taken down and subsequently made available again.
The issue has attracted considerable attention because of the political significance of the content and the large public following of the Prime Minister’s social media accounts. The Centre’s repeated engagement with Meta indicates that it views the matter as more than a routine content-moderation dispute.
Sources said the government may also seek a written apology from the company over the incident. Such a step would underline the seriousness with which authorities are treating the episode and could add another dimension to the ongoing discussion over accountability of major technology platforms.
The controversy has emerged at a time when social media companies are facing increasing scrutiny in India over transparency, content moderation and the use of automated systems. Platforms such as Instagram and Facebook rely heavily on algorithms to identify and moderate content, but errors or unexplained decisions can generate concerns, particularly when they involve prominent political figures. The Centre’s latest move also comes against the backdrop of protests and public criticism surrounding the handling of the Prime Minister’s video.
