3 weeks ago
MEA Launches Snapchat Channel for Gen Z Amid Meta Scrutiny
The government of India has a special office called the Ministry of External Affairs that talks to other countries.
That office just opened its own page on Snapchat, a fun app where people share pictures and videos that disappear.
It wants to talk to young people who use Snapchat a lot.
The person who speaks for the ministry announced the new page on another app called X. This is part of a bigger plan by the Prime Minister to talk directly to young people on apps they like.
Not long ago, a video the Prime Minister made for students was removed from a Meta app for a little while.
Meta said it was an accident and put the video back.
The government was not happy and met with Meta's leader, Mark Zuckerberg, to ask for answers.
He said sorry for bad content like child abuse material and fake videos on Meta's apps.
Now the government is asking whether Meta should still get special legal protections as a simple message carrier.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) launched its official Snapchat channel, becoming one of the first Union ministries to establish a presence on the platform.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced the launch in a post on X, inviting users to follow for exclusive stories, updates and engaging content.
The move is part of the government's broader push to connect with Gen Z, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's urging for stronger outreach to younger citizens.
Government scrutiny of Meta intensified after a video PM Modi posted during the CJP protests was briefly taken down and then restored, with Meta citing a technical glitch.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologised for CSAM, deepfakes and other operational lapses, while officials questioned Meta's safe harbour protection as an intermediary under the Information Technology Act.
- Who
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
- What
- MEA launched an official Snapchat channel while the government intensified scrutiny of Meta over content moderation, the temporary removal of a PM video, CSAM and deepfakes.
- Where
- India.
- When
- Announced recently, with government-Meta meetings held on August 3 and August 5.
- Why
- To connect directly with Gen Z and younger audiences on popular platforms, and to address concerns over Meta's content moderation and platform governance.
Government
Meta
PM Modi video removal
Government
The removal of the Prime Minister's video led the government to summon Meta officials for explanations and to raise broader content moderation and platform governance concerns.
Meta
Meta attributed the removal to a technical glitch and restored the video, while the company acknowledged the presence of illegal content on its platforms.
Intermediary status and safe harbour
Government
Meta cannot be treated as a mere 'intermediary' under the Information Technology Act if it actively determines the content users receive, and its eligibility for safe harbour protection was questioned.
Meta
Meta acknowledged illegal content on its platforms, admitted that paid promotions had been used to target specific audiences, and engaged with the government through multiple meetings over several days.
Key facts
- Channel
- Official Snapchat channel launched by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
- First
- One of the first Union ministries to establish a presence on Snapchat
- Announcement
- Post on X by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal
- Purpose
- Engage Gen Z and younger audiences on popular social media platforms
- Meta meetings
- August 3 with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology officials; August 5 with the IT Secretary and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
- Meta apology
- Mark Zuckerberg apologised for CSAM, deepfake content and other operational lapses across Meta's platforms
- Disputed point
- Meta's safe harbour protection as an 'intermediary' under the Information Technology Act
- PM video
- Posted during the CJP protests; briefly removed by Meta, restored and attributed to a technical glitch
Quotes
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal
An official representing India's Ministry of External Affairs
“The announcement was made through a post on X by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, inviting users to follow the ministry on Snapchat for “exclusive stories, updates, engaging content and more.””
firstpost.com
Sources
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