Meta removes protest posts as Centre steps up content blocks

Instagram posts by political leaders, parties, and protesters are being rapidly removed after meetings between Meta and the Union government, The Hindu reports. The Indian Youth Congress, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das, and Scroll.in have had posts blocked in India. Screenshots of blocked posts cite the IT Rules, 2021, indicating takedowns through a formal mechanism.

Nearly 1.95 lakh directions for content removal from Meta platforms and YouTube were issued between March and July, averaging one order every 68 seconds, according to Indian Express data reported by Mathrubhumi. The surge coincided with student protests in Delhi over alleged examination leaks, which ended after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. Students relied on social media for coordination, as mainstream media gave limited coverage.

The Sahyog portal, run by the Home Ministry, processes many takedown requests. The Software Freedom Law Centre said the portal bypasses safeguards under Section 69A of the IT Act. Meta has apologised for temporarily removing PM Modi's post and faced government notices over child sexual abuse material in ads. Meta did not respond to a request for comment.