Meta restricts PM Modi's Facebook video to youth amid CJP protests, restores it later and apologises for 'error'

Meta on Tuesday said a video posted on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook account was removed "in error" and has since been restored. The Meta-owned platform had briefly restricted access to the video during the early hours of July 28.

The video is now available again for users in India after the temporary restriction was lifted.

Video featured PM Modi's address to Gen Z

The video, posted on July 23, featured Prime Minister Modi's first address to Gen Z during the 36-day student protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). In the address, Modi said that "stricter action against paper leaks will be announced at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting."


The video had received millions of views before Facebook restricted access to it temporarily.

Restriction shown as response to legal request

Media reports said Facebook initially restricted the video following what appeared to be a "legal request". At around 1:25 am on Tuesday, the "See Why" option on the video displayed a notice stating that the content had been restricted in India in compliance with a legal request.

The notice did not mention the specific legal provision or the authority behind the request. Meta later restored access to the video, stating that the restriction had occurred due to an error.