NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary Standing Committee has asked Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg to issue an unconditional apology within three days over the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s speech from Facebook, warning that the company’s safe-harbour immunity under the Information Technology Act could be withdrawn if it fails to do so.In a letter to electronics and information technology secretary S Krishnan, the Parliamentary standing committee on electronics and information technology, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, said it had taken a “very serious” view of the removal of the Prime Minister’s video from Facebook for five to six hours.“The removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video addressing students and Gen Z regarding examination controversies and strict actions against paper leaks from Facebook for 5-6 hours viewed very seriously by the Committee,” the letter signed by A Jyothirmayi said.The panel said Zuckerberg must tender an unconditional apology within three days of receiving the letter. Failing that, it recommended that Meta’s safe-harbour immunity under Section 79(3) of the Information Technology Act be withdrawn and that action be initiated against the company as a publisher.
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The committee also called for stricter action against intermediary platforms that host child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and content demeaning women. It said platforms that fail to remove such content should face action under Section 79(3) of the IT Act.Separately, the panel urged the Government of India to initiate action against the head of Google India in connection with an alleged cyber fraud case being investigated by Hyderabad Police, in which investors reportedly lost more than Rs 48 lakh through fraudulent investment applications.“The Committee while discussing Hyderabad Cyber Police Action against the Google India Head as a co-accused along with the Cyber fraudsters after the complainants alleged that they lost more than Rs.48 lakhs by investing through fraud Apps, the Committee desired that similar action be taken against the Google India by the Government of India,” the letter stated.
