Hyderabad Cybercrime Police Register Case Against Meta India Head, Several Social Media Accounts Over Alleged Defamatory Posts on PM Modi

The Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have registered a case against Meta India Head Arun Srinivas and several Facebook and Instagram accounts over allegations of circulating objectionable, digitally manipulated, and AI-generated content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media.

The case was registered following separate complaints filed by businessman S. Aravind Reddy and Telangana BJP worker T. Saikiran Goud, who alleged that several social media accounts shared morphed videos, edited photographs, and offensive comments about the Prime Minister during a recent protest.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the complainants alleged that the AI-generated and digitally altered content was defamatory in nature and had the potential to mislead the public, incite violence, and disturb public peace. The police have initiated an investigation into the allegations and the role of the social media platforms in the dissemination of the content.

Meta Tightens Review Process

The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of Meta after a video posted from the Prime Minister’s official social media account was temporarily blocked in a separate incident.

Following strong objections from the Central Government over that episode, Meta has reportedly strengthened its internal review mechanism. The company has clarified that posts from high-profile accounts, including that of the Prime Minister, will now require approval from at least two senior officials before moderation decisions are taken.

Notices Issued to Social Media Accounts

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have also issued notices to several social media accounts and news portals that allegedly posted abusive or objectionable content against the Prime Minister during the recent “Sansad Chalo” protest and demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The accounts have reportedly been directed to remove the disputed content, while authorities continue to examine whether any laws relating to misinformation, defamation, or public order have been violated.

The case has sparked widespread debate across the country over the regulation of AI-generated content, the responsibilities of social media platforms, and the balance between freedom of expression and the prevention of misinformation and defamatory material online.