Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has formally apologized to the Indian government regarding the presence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), deepfake content, and operational errors on the company’s social media platform, according to sources familiar with the matter. The apology came during a high-level meeting held on August 5, 2026, in which Meta officials acknowledged shortcomings in content management and moderation.
The meeting, which took place between a delegation led by Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan and S. Krishnan, Secretary of India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), also addressed the controversial removal of a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meta officials provided explanations for the erroneous takedown of the video, which had sparked significant backlash.
Sources indicated that the Indian government emphasized Meta’s responsibility as a publisher rather than merely an intermediary under the Information Technology Act. A government insider noted that Meta does not qualify for “safe harbour” protection since it exercises editorial control by selecting the recipients of content, thus bearing direct responsibility for the material shared on its platforms.
Earlier on the same day, BJP Member of Parliament Nishikant Dubey, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications, reinforced this view. Dubey stated the video removal was not a function of an intermediary but a publishing decision by Meta, and he demanded that Zuckerberg issue an apology within three days. Failing that, Dubey warned the government would revoke the legal “safe harbour” protections afforded to social media platforms under current regulations.
Dubey also highlighted concerns that Meta had previously mishandled content, citing Zuckerberg’s January 2026 statement related to the upcoming elections and his subsequent apology as evidence of repeated lapses. He accused Meta of a “deliberate intention to destabilize” by allowing the Prime Minister’s video to remain inaccessible for nearly five hours, from 12:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. The video, originally released on July 23, marked Modi’s first direct communication to Generation Z amidst a prolonged student protest led by the Cockroach Janata Party over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
Dubey further raised concerns about the platform’s handling of CSAM and other harmful content, pointing to similar issues on platforms like YouTube. He criticized Meta for not adequately removing content related to the NEET agitation and for allegedly disregarding directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The recent developments underscore ongoing tensions between Meta and Indian authorities over content governance, legal accountability, and the scope of platform responsibilities under national law. The government’s stance suggests a potential recalibration of regulations affecting social media companies operating in India, with increased scrutiny on content moderation practices and liabilities.