'Zuckerberg should apologise for Modi reel removal or Meta will lose safe harbour', IT panel chief warns
The chairman of India's IT parliamentary committee has threatened to revoke Meta's 'safe harbour' protections unless Mark Zuckerberg apologizes for the temporary removal of a Facebook reel featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meta attributed the incident to an algorithmic error, but officials remain critical of the platform's content moderation practices.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing tension between global tech giants and national governments regarding content regulation and the potential erosion of legal immunity for digital intermediaries.
The chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, Nishikant Dubey, on Monday said Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg should apologise for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook reel, warning that the company could otherwise lose the “safe harbour” protection available to intermediaries under Section 79 of the Information Technology (IT) Act.The remarks came during a meeting attended by senior officials from Meta, Google, YouTube, X and Snapchat, along with representatives of the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) and the ministry of home affairs (MHA). The meeting followed Meta’s brief removal of Modi’s Facebook reel, prompting the government to seek an explanation.Also Read | No more protests at Jantar Mantar? Supreme Court to hear plea against suitability of Delhi siteZuckerberg should apologise: Nishikant Dubey“Meta’s mindset is to destabilise the country.
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