Parliamentary Panel Seeks Mark Zuckerberg Apology Over PM Modi Video Removal; NHRC Escalates Probe Into Child S*x Abuse Material
Meta faces mounting pressure in India as a parliamentary panel gave CEO Mark Zuckerberg three days to apologize for temporarily taking down a video of PM Modi, threatening to revoke safe-harbour immunity. Simultaneously, the NHRC and NCPCR escalated probes into Meta platforms over alleged child sexual abuse material, per IANS.
Mumbai, August 5: Social media giant Meta is facing heightened regulatory pressure in India as a parliamentary panel and statutory human rights bodies escalate inquiries into the company’s content moderation and compliance standards. On Wednesday, a parliamentary committee demanded an apology from Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg over the brief removal of a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while human rights panels intensified investigations into allegations regarding Child S*xual Abuse Material (CSAM) on Meta's platforms.
According to news agency IANS, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology expressed strong dissatisfaction after a video of Prime Minister Modi addressing students regarding examination controversies was removed from Facebook for approximately five to six hours. In a formal communication sent to the Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the committee directed Zuckerberg to tender an "unqualified apology" within three days, warning that Meta could lose its legal safe-harbour protection under Section 79(3) of the Information Technology Act if it fails to comply. Meta India Head Named Co-Accused in FIR Over Morphed PM Modi Videos.
Parliamentary Panel Issue Three-Day Ultimatum
The panel's directive stems from an August 3 meeting where officials from MeitY, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and digital media platforms, including Meta, X, Google, Snapchat, and YouTube, discussed regulatory compliance. Signed by A. Jyothirmayi, Director in the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the committee's letter stated that the temporary removal of the Prime Minister's address was viewed "very seriously."
Withdrawal of safe-harbour protection under Section 79 of the IT Act would strip Meta of its immunity as an intermediary, exposing the platform to direct legal liability and prosecution as a publisher for third-party content hosted on its network.
Escalating Action Over Child S*x Abuse Material
Simultaneously, statutory oversight bodies have ramped up actions concerning the alleged proliferation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) across Meta platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a fresh notice following a complaint regarding explicit links circulated on Meta's services.
Presided over by member Priyank Kanoongo, the NHRC directed MeitY, state police chiefs across multiple jurisdictions, including New Delhi, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Odisha, and Meta's Head of Law Enforcement in India to submit Action Taken Reports within a week. The order instructs cyber crime units to inspect reported URLs, register FIRs where applicable, coordinate with central agencies, and secure immediate protection for affected minors through local Child Welfare Committees. Meta Accelerates AI App Development, More Products Coming.
Police Investigations and Formal Inquiries Initiated
The latest NHRC actions follow an earlier notice issued on July 8 after media reports alleged that paid advertisements on Instagram facilitated access to illicit content. Pursuant to the NHRC directions, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar initiated a priority investigation, with instructions to register an FIR under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
In a parallel development, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) confirmed plans to conduct a formal inquiry into child safety compliance across Meta's platforms. The decision follows the NCPCR’s review of Meta’s written response to an initial notice, with the panel resolving to establish whether the social media company adequately fulfilled its statutory reporting and child protection obligations under Indian law.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 05, 2026 03:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
