Centre Summons Meta Public Policy Head Again Amid Row Over PM's Video: Sources

Centre has summoned Meta global public policy head for the second time in a week. Sources said that tech giant's public policy head Joel Kaplan has been summoned to meet government officials on Wednesday. According to sources, along with Kaplan, technical officials from Instagram have also been summoned.Sources said that the government wants to understand from the officials how Meta Algorithm works.According to sources government has received multiple complaints that certain anti-government posts get more traction on social media platforms. Last week Kaplan was summoned by the Information and Technology Ministry over the removal of a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Facebook.Government is also likely to seek a written apology from Meta over the removal of the Prime Minister's video from Facebook and a written submission over the "technical glitch" that led to the video removal.Meta officials on Monday faced tough questions from the government at the meeting of Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology. The company officials apoligised for the "technical glitch" that led to the removal of PM's video briefly.Read | Mark Zuckerberg Will Have To Apologise: Parliament Panel Chief On PM Video RowPM Modi's video that was briefly blocked contained his message to Gen Z promising stringent measures against paper leaks that was uploaded on July 23 amid the student protest spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party or CJP.Officials from Google, YouTube alongwith senior officials of Home and IT ministry were also present at the parliamentary panel meet. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who head the Parliamentary Committee on IT, said after the Monday meeting that Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg will have to apologise for the removal of PM's video. "Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg must apologise for deleting the video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Dubey said, adding if he doesn't, Meta may no longer have a "safe harbour" in several cases.At the Monday's meet, members pointed out to Meta officials that the issue was not merely about an apology, but that accountability must be established and legal action should be taken, sources said.Meta officials were also questioned on what protection was available to common social media users in India if the prime minister's video can be removed just like that. After the first meeting last week, the Meta team had assured the government on safeguards for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's posts, sources said. Outlining the enhanced safeguards for PM Modi's posts, Meta has said that prominent accounts to get additional oversight. Going forward, only senior Meta officials will vet such posts, sources said.Any decision will undergo rigorous checks and review by at least two senior officials of the company, sources said, citing the platform's latest communication to the ministry.