Non-compliance of IT rules, synthetically generated content: Why Centre summoned Meta's global head, Instagram chief

A senior IT ministry official stated that the summons were sent due to the Indian policy team's inability to convey the seriousness of the issues to the US team

Hours after Meta allegedly restricted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video on its platforms, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology summoned Meta's global affairs president, Joel Kaplan, and Instagram's chief, Adam Mosseri, on Tuesday.

Hours after Meta allegedly restricted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Instagram video, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology summoned Meta's global affairs president, Joel Kaplan, and Instagram's chief, Adam Mosseri (Bloomberg/Representational)

Speaking to HT, a senior IT ministry official stated that the summons to Kaplan and Mosseri was sent over email due to the Indian policy team's inability to convey the seriousness of the issues to the US team.

"The removal of Prime Minister Modi’s reel from Instagram is just one of the issues that will be discussed. MeitY wants to have a larger conversation about synthetically generated content on their platforms and the non-compliance with IT rules," the office further told HT.

The summons came hours after Meta issued a statement on blocking PM Modi's video on Facebook. "The content was removed in error and has since been restored." a Meta Spokesperson said.

The video in question was a message shared by the PM last week, addressing the youth amid the raging protests over the NEET paper leak controversy, where he addressed them as ‘friends’.

In the message, Modi acknowledged the gravity of the issue and announced that the Centre will move a bill to establish fast-track courts and impose stricter punishment for those involved.