Meta Faces Scrutiny Over Content Moderation Practices in India

Meta on Monday told a parliamentary panel that it is ready to apologise for the brief restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post, while members across the committee pressed the company on accountability, alleged algorithmic bias and compliance with Indian laws. The issue came up during a meeting of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, where Meta officials appeared before lawmakers. According to sources, members questioned why Meta, despite earning significant revenue from India, failed to adhere to the country's laws. They also raised concerns over the platform's content moderation practices, alleging that objectionable content, including pornography, remains accessible while "genuine" content gets removed. "When Facebook has not removed a lot of other objectionable content, who removed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video from the platform?" a member asked Meta representatives. "Who bears the ultimate responsibility for this?" the sources quoted the panel member as saying.