New Delhi — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologized to India over the circulation of child sexual abuse material, deepfakes and other harmful content on the company’s platforms, according to government sources.
Zuckerberg acknowledged concerns raised by Indian authorities and expressed regret over failures in how Meta’s platforms handled and distributed objectionable and manipulated material, the sources said.
“Mark Zuckerberg sent his apologies for the CSAM content, deepfake content and errors in operating the platform,” a government source said.
Indian officials also warned Meta that its role in recommending and distributing content could jeopardize its legal protections as an intermediary.
Under India’s Information Technology Act, online platforms can receive “safe harbor” protection from liability for user-generated content if they function as neutral intermediaries. Government sources said those protections may not apply when a platform actively determines which users receive particular content.
Officials also alleged that Meta had accepted payments to boost certain categories of content. The company acknowledged the concerns, apologized and expressed regret, according to the sources.
The discussions came after a parliamentary panel demanded that Zuckerberg issue an “unqualified apology” within three days over the temporary removal of a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
IT Ministry sources said earlier Wednesday that Meta and other social media companies must comply with Indian law and warned that the company could lose its safe harbor protection if it failed to respond within the specified period.
A senior Meta delegation met IT Secretary S. Krishnan in New Delhi to discuss the removal of the prime minister’s video. The delegation was also expected to meet Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. (Source: IANS)
