Meta has informed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) that it is strengthening its review process for content posted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other high-profile accounts, following the brief restriction of one of the Prime Minister's Facebook posts earlier this month.
According to sources, moderation decisions involving such accounts will now undergo multiple layers of scrutiny and require approval from at least two senior company officials before any action is taken. A Meta delegation is also expected to meet government officials in the coming days to discuss the matter further.
The development follows an incident on July 23, when a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi relating to the NEET-UG paper leak protests was briefly restricted before being restored.
The post featured a video message in which the Prime Minister announced measures to tackle paper leaks, including the proposed establishment of fast-track courts and stricter legal provisions.
Following the incident, MeitY summoned a senior Meta executive. The company attributed the restriction to a technical error and apologised.
However, IT Secretary S. Krishnan said the government's concerns had not been fully addressed, describing Meta's explanation as inadequate and stating that additional details had been sought.
The incident is the latest instance of Meta's content moderation practices drawing scrutiny in India. The company's handling of political and government-related content has previously prompted questions from regulators, with the latest episode leading Meta to outline additional safeguards for moderation decisions involving prominent public figures.
