Meta Apologizes for Zuckerberg's India Election Comment

Meta India issued an apology for CEO Mark Zuckerberg's incorrect statement that the Indian government lost power in the 2024 elections. Indian officials, including Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, criticized the misinformation and emphasized the accuracy of India's democratic process and electoral success.

In a surprising turn of events, Meta India has publicly apologized for comments made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg regarding the outcome of India's 2024 elections, describing them as an 'inadvertent error.'

The remarks sparked backlash after they appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast, suggesting incorrectly that India's incumbent government had lost power. Meta India's Vice President Shivnath Thukral reached out to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, clarifying that Zuckerberg's observation applies to several countries but not India. The apology was posted on X, addressing the dissemination of misinformation and asserting India's role as a vital partner for Meta's ongoing innovation.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw responded by highlighting the credibility issue and criticized the narrative presented by Zuckerberg. He pointed out the factual inaccuracies, emphasizing that India, the world's largest democracy, had successfully re-elected the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi in the 2024 elections. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, head of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, announced that Meta will be summoned to provide explanations, emphasizing the importance of correct information in democratic contexts.

(With inputs from agencies.)