Mark Zuckerberg apologises to Indian government over child abuse content, PM Modi video: Report

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly apologised to the Indian government over child sexual abuse material on Meta platforms and the temporary removal of a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly apologised to the Indian government for the presence of CSAM content on the company's platform, among other operational errors, such as the temporary deletion of a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also Read: Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok sued as families blame social media for teen deaths

This apology, as per reports, was extended by Meta executives at a meeting with MeitY officials. This comes amid increased scrutiny of social media content moderation by India. Also Read: Meta apology on PM Modi video removal row not enough without accountability: IT panel chief

What did Zuckerberg apologise for?

As per reports, Zuckerberg expressed regret over several issues on Meta-owned platforms, including the availability of child sexual abuse material, the spread of deepfake content and operational mistakes. Also Read: How to add multiple photos to one Instagram Story

One of those mistakes reportedly involved the accidental removal of a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Facebook. Meta had earlier said the video was taken down due to an operational error and was later restored. The reports also suggest that Meta acknowledged shortcomings in the way certain content was handled on its platforms.

The apology was reportedly conveyed after senior Meta executives met officials from MeitY earlier this week. As per reports, the duration of the meeting was about 45 minutes, in which the company gave an explanation for the reasons behind removing the video of the Prime Minister. Reports suggest that the meeting also dealt with issues related to harmful content, including child sexual abuse material and deepfakes.

Why is Meta under scrutiny?

The latest development comes after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Electronics and Information Technology reportedly asked Zuckerberg to issue an unconditional apology over the temporary removal of the Prime Minister's speech from Facebook.

Separately, the Indian government had earlier directed Meta to remove advertisements and content promoting child sexual abuse material on Instagram. At the time, the company said it follows a zero-tolerance policy towards such content and continues to strengthen its detection systems.

Reports also state that authorities have raised concerns over content that demeans women and have called for stricter action from social media platforms.

India's content rules

India has introduced stricter rules for online platforms in recent months. As per the revised framework, social media companies will have to delete illegal content that is flagged by the judiciary or the government within three hours, compared to the previous period of 36 hours.

Government officials reportedly informed Meta that their involvement in the recommendation and dissemination of the content might impact the intermediary status of the platform as per the Indian Information Technology rules. At the time of writing, no official response had been received from Meta on the matter.

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