New Delhi: Representatives of major social media platforms, including Google, Meta, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat and YouTube, appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology on Monday to discuss issues related to online safety, user privacy, content moderation and compliance with Indian laws.
The committee, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, sought detailed explanations from the companies regarding harmful content, misinformation, child safety, data protection and compliance with India’s Information Technology Rules. Senior officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Ministry of Home Affairs also participated in the meeting.
A major focus of the meeting was the recent controversy surrounding Meta’s temporary restriction of a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to government sources, the Centre has also summoned Meta’s Global Head of Public Policy, Joel Kaplan, along with an Instagram technical official, for meetings on August 5 and 6 to explain the incident, the platform’s algorithmic processes, safeguards for verified accounts and concerns related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
During the parliamentary panel meeting, Meta reportedly maintained that the restriction on the Prime Minister’s post resulted from a technical glitch. However, the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation. Committee Chairman Nishikant Dubey stated that an apology from Meta alone would not be sufficient and asserted that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg should personally apologise. He also warned that the panel could recommend reviewing Meta’s safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act if accountability is not ensured.
According to sources, lawmakers also questioned social media companies on their policies regarding fake news, objectionable content, user safety, transparency in content moderation and data privacy. The committee stressed that global technology companies operating in India must remain accountable, transparent and fully compliant with Indian laws while protecting users’ rights.
The developments reflect increasing regulatory scrutiny of major digital platforms as the government and Parliament seek stronger accountability in content moderation, platform governance and user safety.
