India's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology has demanded an apology from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the removal of a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The dispute highlights growing tensions between the Indian government and global tech platforms regarding content moderation, algorithmic bias, and the perceived destabilization of national public order.
Nishikant Dubey, the chief of the parliamentary panel, addressed the issue during a meeting in New Delhi on Aug. 3, 2026 [1]. Dubey said that the removal of the Prime Minister's video is part of a recurring pattern of censorship by the company. "This is not the first time Meta has removed content related to the Prime Minister," Dubey said [2].
The committee is calling for full accountability and has suggested that legal action may be necessary. Dubey said that Meta's internal algorithms may be biased, which could potentially influence public perception or disrupt social harmony within the country. He said that Zuckerberg intends to destabilize India through these actions.
"Mark Zuckerberg will have to apologise," Dubey said [3].
The panel is now seeking a detailed explanation from Meta regarding the specific reasons for the video's removal and the criteria used by the platform's moderation systems. This move follows previous clashes between the Indian state and social media companies over the enforcement of local laws, and the removal of political speech.
Meta has not yet issued a formal response to the committee's demand for an apology. The panel continues to investigate whether the company's algorithmic decisions disproportionately target Indian political leadership—a move they argue threatens the democratic process.
“"Mark Zuckerberg will have to apologise."”
This confrontation signals a tightening of regulatory scrutiny over Big Tech in India. By framing content moderation as a matter of national stability and 'destabilization,' the Indian government is moving toward a model where global platforms must align their community standards with the sensitivities and political requirements of the state or face significant legal repercussions.
