Now Reading: Meta blocks NOCAP Facebook page after Union government notice
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Meta blocks NOCAP Facebook page after Union government notice
Meta India has blocked the Facebook page of NOCAP, an independent Malayalam digital media organisation, citing a Union government notice under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000, for 'unlawful activity'. NOCAP's executive editor Ali Hyder said neither Meta nor the government has explained which specific content was deemed unlawful.
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the Kerala government over the block, calling it an attempt to suppress freedom of expression. He alleged the UDF government practises the same media persecution as the Modi government. The URL of NOCAP's page reads: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.'
This is not the first block on NOCAP: Meta blocked its Instagram account in February 2026, along with Deshabhimani, the CPI(M) mouthpiece. Both outlets later started new handles.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The News Minute leads with the Union government notice as the trigger for the block and includes NOCAP's statement questioning how journalism that holds governments accountable can be unlawful. The Hindu leads with Pinarayi Vijayan's political attack on the state government, framing the block as evidence of a pattern of media suppression by the UDF. Neither outlet explains which content triggered the government notice. The coverage is otherwise uniform on the core facts: Meta complied with a legal request under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act. The political context differs: The News Minute mentions an earlier block on NOCAP and Deshabhimani, while The Hindu omits it entirely, keeping focus on Vijayan's criticism of the Satheesan government.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 government-critical
Sources (2): thenewsminute.com (government critical), thehindu.com (government critical)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
