Mark Zuckerberg apologises for Meta's content moderation lapses, stays silent on removal of PM Modi's video

NEW DELHI: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologised for the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and deepfake content through the company's platforms, as well as for operational shortcomings on the platforms. He made the apology during a high-level meeting with the Central government. However, he did not mention the removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video from Facebook.

The two-day meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Meta's global leadership. The discussions focused on Meta's responsibilities, content moderation and compliance with Indian laws. During the meeting, Meta acknowledged shortcomings in content moderation and in tackling harmful content on its platforms.

The Centre also told Meta that the company cannot claim the legal protection available to intermediaries under the Information Technology Act. According to the government, Meta's algorithms decide what content is amplified and shown to users.

Earlier, a Parliamentary committee had asked Zuckerberg to personally apologise for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook video. The committee had warned that it could recommend withdrawing Meta's safe harbour protection in India if no apology was issued. The video showed Modi assuring young people that the government would take strict action to prevent question paper leaks.