• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg issued apology for platform issues.
  2. Apology covers CSAM, deepfake content, and operational errors.
  3. Statement addresses growing concerns over online safety.

Meta Chief ‌Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has sent his apology to the Indian government for CSAM (Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material), deepfake content, and errors in operating the platform on Wednesday. Sources said the Meta team has admitted "a lot of money" was paid for boosting certain types of content and has apologised and regretted mistakes.

"It was made clear to them that they are not covered under the Intermediary definition. They select who receives the content. Safe harbour under the IT Act is not applicable," said the sources.

Meta Apologises Over PM Modi Post Removal

The Instagram and WhatsApp owner also apologised for the temporary removal of PM Modi''s Facebook post, as company executives admitted that "a lot of money was paid for boosting a certain type of content", government sources said.

Sources speaking after the US technology giant's global team led by its Global Affairs head Joel Kaplan met Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, admitted to lapses in the operation of the company''s platforms.

Kaplan apologised to India's information technology minister for briefly restricting a post by PM Modi in July, he said in a ‌statement. "I apologised to the minister on behalf of Meta for the error restricting PM Modi's post," Kaplan said.  

Before meeting Vaishnaw, Kaplan, who served in the administration of George W Bush, including as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy before joining Meta (then Facebook) in 2011, and his team held a separate discussion with IT Secretary S Krishnan.

The meetings followed the government summoning the company''s global leadership over the brief removal of PM Modi''s Facebook post last month, which Meta had blamed on a technical glitch.

While Meta officials did not offer any comments on the meeting, government sources said the Meta team apologised and expressed regret over the incident and over other content moderation failures.

The sources said company executives also admitted that "a lot of money was paid for boosting a certain type of content".
They did not elaborate.

Government sources said the Centre told Meta that it could not claim the status of a neutral "intermediary" under India''s Information Technology Act because the company''s algorithms actively curate, recommend and determine which users receive content, rather than merely hosting third-party material.

On that basis, the government argued that Meta would not be entitled to the safe harbour protections available to intermediaries, which shield platforms from liability for user-generated content subject to compliance with the law. 

PM's Video Removed From Facebook Row

Zuckerberg's apology to the Indian government comes amid controversy over the removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video from Facebook, owned by Meta. Earlier in the day, a parliamentary panel gave Meta chief Zuckerberg three days to apologise for the removal of PM's video from Facebook and threatened to withdraw the Safe Harbour Protection- a form of immunity - if it was not done.

ALSO READ: Meta To Lose Safe Harbour Protection? Parliamentary Panel Issues 3-Day Ultimatum Over PM's Video Removal

What Does Safe Harbour Protection's Removal Mean?

The removal of the Safe Harbour Protection may lead to prosecution and registration of an FIR. In a letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT, a director of the Lok Sabha secretariat said removal of the Prime Minister's video addressing students and Gen Z regarding examination controversies and strict actions against paper leaks from Facebook for five-six hours had been viewed very seriously.

ALSO READ: Meta Executives To Meet Govt In Two Days Over PM Modi's Video Removal; Mahua Moitra Asks Zuckerberg Not To 'Get Bullied'

"During the deliberations, the Committee demanded an apology from Mr Mark Zuckerberg, Meta Chief on this issue. If he fails to tender an unqualified apology within 3 days of receipt of this letter, the protection/immunity given under Section 79(3) of IT Act may be withdrawn and action taken against him as a Publisher," said the letter signed by A Jyothirmayi.

Meta Also Faces Heat For CSEAM Row

The parliamentary standing committee on information technology, headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, also demanded action against intermediary platforms that carry child sexual abuse material (CSEAM) and demeaning material against women.

"If the intermediary platforms fail to remove CASM material from their portals, action should be taken under section 79(3) of IT Act," the letter said.

"Mark Zuckerberg must apologise within three days. If he does not apologise, we will withdraw the safe harbour protection that has been given to these social media platforms which they misuse. Then, for every abusive, violent and objectionable post that appears on social media platforms, FIRs will be lodged against the Meta chief. There will be a flood of FIRs across the country, and after that they will all be behind bars," Dubey told reporters in Parliament House complex.

(With PTI inputs)

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