NEW DELHI – Meta has formally apologised to the Indian government for a series of operational missteps, including the erroneous restriction of a social media post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The apology was conveyed during a high-level meeting in New Delhi, where the global technology company also acknowledged issues related to paid content amplification on its platforms.

Joel Kaplan, Meta's chief global officer and head of Global Affairs, tendered the apology to Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw. The discussions encompassed various lapses in the functioning of Meta's platforms, with the company accepting responsibility for these operational errors. Separately, Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, also issued a formal apology to the Indian government concerning these missteps.

The acknowledgement of these errors comes amidst heightened scrutiny from Indian officials, who have expressed significant concerns over the potential loss of safe harbour protection for the platform. Under the Information Technology (IT) Act, safe harbour provisions, which shield platforms from liability for user-generated content, may not apply if a platform is found to be exercising control over the selection and distribution of content.

The Indian government has engaged in stringent discussions with Meta regarding the proliferation of child abuse material and deepfake content on its platforms. Officials have underscored that the exercise of editorial control by a platform could jeopardise its intermediary status and the associated legal protections.

In response to the government's concerns, Meta has committed to implementing necessary corrective actions. The government is currently reassessing its child online safety regulations, and Meta's pledge to address these issues aligns with the broader push for greater accountability from social media companies operating within India. This development highlights the ongoing dialogue between global tech giants and national governments regarding content moderation, platform responsibility, and regulatory compliance.