Meta has apologised after a selfie-style video posted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefly removed from Facebook before being restored. The social media giant said the removal was caused by a technical error, while the Indian government has reportedly taken the incident seriously and summoned the global heads of Meta and Instagram to explain the temporary takedown.
The video, posted shortly before midnight on July 23, featured Prime Minister Modi addressing students amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. The clip quickly gained widespread attention before it briefly disappeared from Facebook, triggering criticism from political leaders and users on social media.
According to Meta, the content was removed unintentionally and restored after the error was identified.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly initiated a review of the incident and issued summons to senior global executives of Meta and Instagram to seek an explanation regarding the temporary removal.
The issue sparked strong reactions online after several political leaders questioned why the Prime Minister’s official video had been taken down, even for a short period.
PM Modi’s Viral Video Addressed Students
In the nearly three-minute selfie-style video, Prime Minister Modi addressed students and assured them that the government was treating examination irregularities and paper leaks with utmost seriousness.
He stated that paper leaks had deeply affected lakhs of students and their families and said the government had taken several steps over the previous months to strengthen examination security and ensure strict action against those responsible.
The Prime Minister also highlighted that examinations for around 22 lakh NEET aspirants were conducted without unnecessary delays and said authorities had arrested those involved in the alleged paper leak.
Video Breaks Massive Social Media Records
The selfie-style message quickly became one of the most-viewed political videos on social media.
On Instagram, the video reportedly crossed more than 303 million views within 24 hours, surpassing previous engagement records. Following the overwhelming response, Prime Minister Modi later shared another short video thanking young people for their support and valuable suggestions.
The government is now examining the circumstances that led to the temporary removal of the original video from Facebook, while Meta has maintained that the issue resulted from a technical glitch and not from any deliberate action.
The incident has also renewed discussions around content moderation, platform accountability and the role of social media companies in handling content from public office holders.
Key Highlights
- Meta apologised after PM Modi’s selfie video was briefly removed from Facebook.
- The company said the removal happened due to a technical error.
- The Indian government has summoned the global heads of Meta and Instagram over the incident.
- The video addressed students amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.
- PM Modi assured strict action against those responsible for examination irregularities.
- The video reportedly crossed over 303 million Instagram views within 24 hours.
- The incident has sparked renewed debate over content moderation and platform accountability.
FAQs
1. Why was PM Modi’s Facebook video removed?
Meta said the video was removed accidentally due to a technical glitch before being restored.
2. Did Meta apologise for removing the video?
Yes. Meta issued a statement saying the content was removed in error and was later restored.
3. Why has the Indian government summoned Meta executives?
The government is seeking an explanation for the temporary removal of the Prime Minister’s official video.
4. What was PM Modi’s video about?
The video addressed students and discussed the government’s response to the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and examination reforms.
5. How long was the video unavailable?
Meta has not specified the exact duration before restoring the content.
6. How viral did the video become?
The video reportedly received over 303 million views on Instagram within the first 24 hours.
7. Did Meta say the removal was intentional?
No. The company stated that the removal resulted from a technical error.
8. What issues are being discussed following the incident?
The incident has raised questions about content moderation, platform transparency and accountability of global social media companies.
9. Has the government announced any action against Meta?
The government has summoned senior Meta executives for an explanation. Any further action will depend on the outcome of its review.
10. Why is this incident significant?
It involves the temporary removal of an official communication by the Prime Minister and has intensified discussions on how social media platforms manage high-profile public content.
