Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Apologises to Indian Government Over CSAM, Deepfakes And Platform Errors

New Delhi: Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has apologised for the proliferation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), deepfake content, and operational lapses across the tech giant's platforms. 

The admission, communicated via company channels, follows a series of high-stakes meetings on Wednesday between Meta’s global delegation and top Indian officials, including Information & Broadcasting and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and IT Secretary S. Krishnan.

The developments come amid intense government scrutiny triggered by the temporary removal of a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as broader concerns regarding content moderation and paid algorithm manipulation.

During discussions at Rail Bhawan, government sources revealed that Meta was explicitly informed that it no longer fits the legal definition of a passive "intermediary" under Indian law.

Authorities noted that because Meta actively curates, prioritises, and selects who receives specific content, it acts as a publisher rather than a neutral host.

As a result, the government warned that Meta is not covered by the "Safe Harbour" protection provided under Section 79 of the IT Act. 

Losing this immunity would expose the social media giant, including subsidiaries Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, to direct legal liability and potential prosecution for illegal or defamatory content hosted on its platforms.

In a significant concession before officials, the Meta delegation, which included Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan, admitted that a "lot of money" was accepted on the platform to boost specific types of content.

Meta acknowledged mistakes regarding paid promotions that targeted specific audiences with illegal or improperly moderated material, including advertisements linked to CSAM on Instagram. 

Representatives tendered a formal apology, expressing regret over these systemic operational failures and pledging corrective action.

According to sources, addressing the government’s multifaceted concerns, Mark Zuckerberg’s statement expressed regret over systemic failures regarding:

1. Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM): Lapses in automated filtering that allowed illegal ad content to surface on platforms like Instagram.
2. Deepfakes & Misinformation: The proliferation of unlabelled AI-generated imagery and deceptive financial scams targeting users.
3. Account Moderation Errors: Algorithmic missteps that improperly restricted verified handles of prominent public figures.

Earlier in the day, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, issued a strict ultimatum to Meta. 

Highlighting ongoing legal cases, including an FIR filed by Telangana Police over objectionable AI-generated content targeting Prime Minister Modi, women, and children, the panel emphasised that platforms failing to strictly adhere to the Indian Constitution will be stripped of Section 79 protection.

Following the meeting, Meta informed the government that high-profile verified handles, including that of the Prime Minister, will henceforth be subject to additional human oversight with multiple levels of review before any moderation action is executed. 

Government sources confirmed that Meta executives will be summoned again in the coming weeks to review compliance progress.