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India parliamentary panel questions Google, Meta on social media regulation after Modi post controversy
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On August 3, 2026, representatives from Google, Meta, YouTube, Snapchat, X, and other social media platforms appeared before India's Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT, chaired by BJP member Nishikant Dubey. The hearing focused on social and digital platform regulation, occurring days after the government summoned Meta's global team for briefly restricting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post addressing exam reforms. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) found Meta's explanation of a 'technical glitch' inadequate, framing the issue as one of national security and public order. Additionally, Hyderabad Cyber Crime police registered cases against Meta India head Arun Srinivas over allegedly morphed and AI-generated posts targeting PM Modi. The committee also heard from Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan, discussing algorithmic bias, public order impacts, and social media's effects on children's mental well-being.
Source report
NEW DELHI — Representatives from major social media platforms including Google, Meta, and YouTube, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), appeared before a parliamentary panel on Monday (August 3, 2026) to discuss social media regulation.
The meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT, chaired by BJP member Nishikant Dubey, took place days after the government summoned Meta's global team for briefly restricting a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Key Participants
The committee heard from the following officials and representatives:
- Govind Mohan, Union Home Secretary
- S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY
- Representatives from Snapchat, Google, X, Meta (Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram), and YouTube
The subject of discussion was "Social and Digital platforms and their regulation."
Background: Meta's Restriction of PM Modi's Post
Last week, MeitY summoned Meta's global team over issues related to algorithmic bias, the platform's algorithmic processes, and their role in public order. This followed an incident in which Meta briefly restricted a Facebook post by Prime Minister Modi addressing India's youth and promising stringent action against paper leaks.
- Meta attributed the incident to a technical glitch and issued an apology.
- MeitY found the explanation "inadequate."
- Government sources stated that the matter is not merely technical but concerns "national security and public order."
- The company stated the content was removed "in error" and was subsequently restored.
Legal Action
The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have registered cases against:
- Arun Srinivas, Meta India head
- Certain accounts on Facebook and Instagram
The cases relate to allegedly morphed and AI-generated posts targeting Prime Minister Modi.
Government Stance
Government sources emphasized that:
- When rules and laws are violated, liabilities are bound to arise.
- The impact of social media on society is well-documented.
- Studies indicate that excessive use of social media can adversely affect the cognitive and mental well-being of children and others.
Published - August 03, 2026 | 06:53 PM IST
Source
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