Meta India reportedly issued an apology on Wednesday (January 15) after Mark Zuckerberg’s controversial comment raised a debate related to the Indian government for losing power in the 2024 elections because of a stir. The company clarified that the statement was an "inadvertent error" and reaffirmed India’s importance to Meta’s global operations.
Zuckerberg’s remark sparks controversy
- The controversy started when Mark Zuckerberg, appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast, where he remarked that many governments, including India’s, were voted out of power following the Covid-19 pandemic.
- This statement from Zuckerberg drew immediate backlash from Indian political leaders, including Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.
Meta’s public apology on Zuckerberg’s statement
In response to Shivnath Thukral’s post on X, Meta India’s Vice President issued a formal apology via Twitter.
“Mark Zuckerberg's observation about incumbent parties not being re-elected in 2024 is true for several countries, but not India. We apologise for this inadvertent error. India remains a critical part of Meta's innovative future,” Thukral stated.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also highlighted the error, asserting, “People of India reaffirmed their trust in the NDA led by PM Narendra Modi's leadership. Zuckerberg’s claim is factually incorrect.”
Nishikant Dubey hails apology as a victory
Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP who heads the Parliamentary Committee on IT, called the apology a victory for the common people of India.
He tweeted, “The Indian Parliament and government have the blessings of 1.4 billion citizens. Meta’s apology is a win for them.”
Dubey further noted that the committee would summon Meta and other social media platforms in the future to address other concerns after doing proper scrutiny.
Future scrutiny of social media platforms
While the apology has diffused the immediate tension, Dubey emphasized that the House panel would continue to hold social media platforms accountable. “India has shown the world its strongest leadership under PM Modi,” he said, reiterating the need for oversight.
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