NEW DELHI — Meta Platforms has apologised to the Indian government after a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was temporarily restricted because of what the company described as an operational error, seeking to ease tensions following official scrutiny of the incident.
Joel Kaplan, Meta's chief global affairs officer, conveyed the apology during a meeting with India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, according to government officials and the company. Meta said the restriction was the result of an internal operational error and that the post had been restored shortly after the problem was identified.
The episode stemmed from the brief restriction of a Facebook post by Modi that had been published during a period of heightened political attention. The temporary removal prompted India's technology ministry to summon Meta executives for an explanation, while lawmakers also questioned the company's handling of content involving senior public officials.
Meta said it regretted the mistake and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring reliable operation of its platforms. The company has not indicated that the restriction resulted from a policy violation, instead attributing it to an operational error.
The incident unfolded against a backdrop of broader regulatory pressure on the U.S. technology company in India, one of its largest markets. Authorities have recently increased scrutiny of major social media platforms over their handling of online content, including harmful material and compliance with local regulations.
According to Reuters, Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg also apologised to Indian officials over other operational shortcomings, including the presence of child sexual abuse material and deepfake content on the company's platforms. Meta has said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward such material and is investing in improved detection and enforcement systems.
The temporary restriction of Modi's post also drew political attention in Parliament, where members of a parliamentary committee warned that technology companies must ensure greater accountability in their content moderation processes. Some lawmakers raised the possibility of reviewing protections available to online intermediaries if compliance concerns persist, although no such action has been announced.
The Facebook post has since remained available, and neither the Indian government nor Meta has announced further action related specifically to the temporary restriction. Both sides have indicated they remain engaged on broader issues involving platform operations and regulatory compliance.
