Zuckerberg apologises for child abuse ads, deepfakes, operating error amid PM video removal row

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Aug 5, 2026: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologised for issues related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM), deepfake content and operational lapses on the company’s platforms, according to PTI. Sources said Meta also admitted that significant amounts of money had been spent to boost certain types of content and expressed regret over its mistakes.

The apology came as Meta’s global executives met Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and IT Secretary S. Krishnan on Wednesday, amid increasing scrutiny from the Indian government over the company’s content moderation practices.

Earlier in the day, a Parliamentary Standing Committee reportedly gave Zuckerberg three days to apologise over the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video from Facebook, warning that his legal immunity could be withdrawn if he failed to do so.

Government sources said Meta was informed that it may not qualify for protection as an "intermediary" under Indian law, arguing that the platform actively determines which content is shown to users. Consequently, the safe harbour protections available under the Information Technology Act may not apply.

The meetings followed the controversy over Meta’s brief restriction of a Facebook post featuring Prime Minister Modi’s message to India’s youth, in which he pledged stringent action against paper leaks. Although Meta attributed the incident to a technical glitch, apologised, and restored the post, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) reportedly found the explanation inadequate.

Meta has also been facing regulatory scrutiny over the presence of CSAM in paid Instagram advertisements. Last month, the government issued a notice to the company seeking an explanation over the issue.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, IT Secretary Krishnan said discussions would focus on measures taken by Meta to tackle CSAM, AI-generated synthetic content, and safeguards for verified public figures whose posts could be mistakenly removed.

He said the government wanted clarity on why such failures had occurred despite Meta’s technological capabilities and how the company planned to ensure compliance with Indian laws.

According to government sources, the discussions also covered concerns about algorithmic bias, the functioning of Meta’s recommendation systems, and their potential impact on public order and national security.

Following the earlier controversy, Meta informed the IT Ministry that content posted by Prime Minister Modi and other prominent accounts would be subject to enhanced oversight, with multiple levels of review involving senior company officials to prevent similar incidents.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee has also formally sought an apology from Zuckerberg, warning that failure to respond within three days could lead to reconsideration of the legal protections available to him under Indian law.