Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will have to personally apologize for deleting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video. Otherwise, the company will lose the protection of Indian law. This ultimatum was given to Meta by the Center on Wednesday. It is worth noting that the Center had summoned Meta’s global policy head in connection with the deletion of Modi’s video from Instagram. After that, Meta was given a final deadline.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s viral selfie video aimed at Gen-G students disappeared from Facebook, sparking a huge controversy. Meta apologizes for removing Modi’s video. After the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology on Monday, committee head Nishikant Dubey clarified that Meta’s apology is not enough in such a case, they will have to take responsibility for the incident. Legal action should also be taken against the organization. It is worth noting that Meta apologized only after deleting Modi’s video. But the Center is not satisfied with it.
In Nishikant’s words, our Prime Minister is the representative of 1.4 billion people. Removing the video he posted means attacking democracy. Meta will have to take punitive action against those who removed this video. Mark Zuckerberg will have to apologize. If these are not done, the Safe Harbor Clause will be taken away from Meta. A case will also be filed against Meta. For now, the Center has given Meta three days. If Zuckerberg does not apologize personally within this period, the Safe Harbor Clause may be taken away.
What exactly is this safe harbor clause? Section 79 of the IT Act provides some protection to companies like Meta. They are not legally liable for the content posted by third parties. That is, even if there is a problem with the posts of users, the impact of it does not reach Meta. If the center withdraws this protection now, it will become difficult for Meta to operate social media like Facebook and Instagram in India. So will popular social media be shut down in India this time?