Meta has apologised after briefly restricting a Facebook video posted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attributing the incident to a technical error and restoring the content.
For a short period, Facebook users in India who attempted to view the video were shown a notice stating that the media was "not available in your region due to a legal request."
The same video remained accessible on Instagram and to Facebook users outside India, prompting widespread criticism and speculation on social media about the reason behind the restriction.
Meta says removal was accidental
Responding to the controversy, Meta said the video had been removed by mistake.
"The content was removed in error and has since been restored," a Meta spokesperson said, describing the incident as a technical or operational error rather than the result of any government directive or legal request.
The company apologised for the temporary disruption.
Video addressed student protests
Prime Minister Modi posted the selfie-style video on his official Facebook and Instagram accounts between July 23 and 24.
In the video, he addressed students amid nationwide protests over examination paper leaks, particularly the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) controversy.
Modi described the paper leaks as "deeply painful," said several arrests had already been made and announced that the government was considering stronger legal measures, including fast-track courts and tougher penalties for those involved.
The video quickly gained traction online, attracting millions of interactions across Meta's platforms.
Reports said it generated millions of likes on Facebook and hundreds of millions of views across Facebook and Instagram within the first 24 hours.
