PM Modi’s Facebook Video Briefly Blocked in India; Meta Apologises, Says Removal Was Mistaken

New Delhi: A video posted on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official Facebook account was briefly blocked for users in India on Tuesday, triggering widespread debate on social media after viewers were shown a notice claiming the content had been restricted in response to a “legal request.” The restriction lasted only a few hours before Meta restored the video, saying it had been removed “in error” and apologising for the incident.

Video Temporarily Unavailable in India

Early on Tuesday, users attempting to watch the Prime Minister’s Facebook video encountered a message stating that the content was “not available in your region” because it had been withheld following a legal request. Screenshots of the notice quickly spread across social media, fuelling speculation over whether the restriction was the result of a government directive or a platform moderation decision.

#NewsAlert | Meta admitted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first selfie video on Facebook, meant to address Gen Z over the NEET paper leak, was taken down briefly due to an “error”

“The content was removed in error and has since been restored,” said a Meta spokesperson… pic.twitter.com/SKXHblWHUn

— WION (@WIONews) July 28, 2026

The video, originally uploaded on July 23, featured Prime Minister Modi addressing India’s youth on the issue of examination paper leaks and outlining the government’s proposed measures to strengthen laws against such offences. It had already attracted millions of views before the temporary restriction.

Meta Says Removal Was a Mistake

Responding to the controversy, Meta issued a statement acknowledging that the restriction had been applied mistakenly.

“The content was removed in error and has since been restored,” a Meta spokesperson said.

The company attributed the incident to a technical or operational error and confirmed that the video was once again accessible to users in India. Meta did not provide further details on how the erroneous restriction occurred or why users were initially shown a “legal request” notice.

Government Seeks Explanation

The incident drew the attention of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which reportedly sought an explanation from Meta regarding the temporary blocking of the Prime Minister’s post. According to multiple media reports, the government is examining the circumstances surrounding the episode and may seek additional clarification from company officials.

Questions Over Platform Transparency

Although the restriction was reversed quickly, the episode has reignited discussions about transparency in content moderation on global social media platforms. Observers noted that displaying a “legal request” notification without identifying the authority or legal provision involved can create confusion and lead to speculation, particularly when the content concerns a serving head of government.

Video Restored

Following Meta’s clarification, the video became available again on Facebook. While the company described the incident as an inadvertent mistake, the brief restriction generated significant online attention and renewed scrutiny of how major technology platforms handle high-profile political content and communicate moderation decisions to users.