Meta has informed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) that posts made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent public figures will now undergo additional senior-level oversight before moderation decisions are taken. The move comes after Meta mistakenly removed one of the Prime Minister’s Facebook posts, triggering strong objections from the Indian government.
The company has also expressed regret over the incident and promised to strengthen its internal review processes.
What Happened?
The controversy began when a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussing the government’s crackdown on paper leaks was briefly removed from the platform.
Meta later restored the post, stating that it had been removed in error due to a technical issue. However, the Centre sought a detailed explanation, saying the incident raised serious questions about how content moderation decisions were being made.
Senior-Level Review For High-Profile Accounts
Following discussions with the government, Meta has committed that posts from the Prime Minister and other prominent personalities will now receive additional oversight.
Instead of relying solely on automated systems or routine moderation processes, any action involving these accounts will undergo senior-level review before a final decision is made. The company says this additional layer of scrutiny is intended to reduce the risk of similar mistakes in the future.
Government Wants More Clarity
Although Meta has apologised, the government has indicated that the matter is not yet closed.
Officials have sought a detailed explanation from Meta’s senior leadership regarding both the technical failure and the company’s content moderation policies. The discussions are also expected to cover broader issues such as AI-generated content, platform accountability and compliance with India’s Information Technology rules.
New Protocols For VIP Accounts
Meta has begun implementing revised internal protocols for high-profile or VIP accounts.
These measures include enhanced manual checks, greater involvement of senior moderation teams and stronger safeguards before restricting or removing content posted by nationally significant public figures. The objective is to minimise errors while maintaining compliance with platform policies.
Focus On Platform Accountability
The episode has once again highlighted the challenges social media companies face in balancing automated moderation with accuracy.
As AI-powered moderation systems become more widely used, governments are increasingly demanding greater transparency, stronger accountability and quicker corrective action when errors affect public institutions or influential figures.
Meta’s latest commitments are expected to form part of a broader review of its moderation practices in India.
Summary
Meta has assured the Indian government that posts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent personalities will receive additional senior-level oversight after the accidental removal of one of the Prime Minister’s Facebook posts. The company has apologised for the error, introduced new review protocols for high-profile accounts and is continuing discussions with the Centre on platform accountability, AI moderation and compliance with Indian regulations.
