Meta apologises for ‘error in restricting PM’s video’
Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg formally apologized to the Indian government over several operational missteps, including issues with paid content amplification. The acknowledgment of these errors comes as officials expressed concerns over the potential loss of safe harbor protection for the platform. As the government reassesses its child online safety regulations, Meta committed to implementing…
NEW DELHI: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologized to the government for Facebook removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video, alongside the company's failures concerning child sexual abuse material (CSAM), deepfake content, and errors in platform management, according to government officials. The tech giant also admitted to paying for certain content boosts, officials confirmed.Meta blamed technical issues for Modi's video being taken down, in which he communicated with student protesters.
Joel Kaplan, Meta's chief global affairs officer, announced Zuckerberg's apology on their behalf.The apology came after Zuckerberg faced a three-day ultimatum by a parliamentary standing committee, led by BJP member Nishikant Dubey, to either apologize for removing Modi's video or lose the 'safe harbour' that protects Meta from any liability for content posted on its platforms.The social media company admitted to paying significant sums for boosting specific content categories, resulting in the amplification of illegal content for particular audiences, officials revealed.
The company expressed regret over these lapses and admitted mistakes in its platform operations. The meeting took place amid widespread discontent in BJP and government quarters over Facebook's role in algorithmic manipulation to incite unrest against the government through leaks and promotion of hateful content, including numerous videos targeting the PM.Meta representatives will be summoned again, officials stated, but did not disclose the purpose or scope of the next meeting.
The government informed Meta that it could no longer claim protection under Indian law if it actively chose which content individuals received through algorithmic amplification or paid promotion. The company was informed that such conduct could place it outside the intermediary definition, making it liable to authorities and lawsuits.Meta assured authorities that corrective steps would be taken, and officials said the company accepted that illegal content had been promoted and acknowledged shortcomings in its systems.
The government is currently reviewing global regulatory approaches to children's online safety as part of its broader policy review and legal framework. International models for protecting children online are being examined to determine if additional safeguards or legislative changes are needed due to the increasing scrutiny of digital platforms over harmful and illegal content.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
