Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has issued an official apology to the Central Government over the proliferation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), deepfake content, and operational shortcomings in platform moderation, according to government sources. The apology was tendered during high-level consultations between senior officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Meta’s global leadership regarding compliance with Indian laws and platform accountability.
During the intense two-day discussions, government representatives questioned Meta's eligibility for "safe harbour" protections under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. Officials highlighted that because Meta's proprietary algorithms actively select and amplify specific content shown to users, the social media giant operates beyond the traditional definition of an intermediary, thereby challenging its legal immunity for third-party content.
The high-level meeting also addressed broader concerns regarding content handling and commercial practices, with Meta representatives admitting to mistakes in content moderation decisions and expressing regret over substantial expenditure used to boost specific content categories. The consultations coincided with parliamentary scrutiny following the temporary removal of a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as government bodies continue to demand strict compliance and child safety measures from big tech platforms.