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Meta Apologizes for Zuckerberg’s Remarks on India’s Elections
Meta Apologizes for Zuckerberg’s Remarks on India’s Elections
Meta apologizes after CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s remarks on India’s elections spark controversy. Company clarifies and reaffirms its commitment to India.
Meta, the global social media conglomerate, issued an apology on Wednesday following remarks made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg about India’s Lok Sabha elections during a podcast. The controversy emerged after Zuckerberg suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a loss of trust in governments worldwide, leading to electoral defeats for incumbents in several countries, including India.
The comments, made on the Joe Rogan Podcast, sparked backlash in India, with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other officials criticizing Zuckerberg’s statement. Minister Vaishnaw described the remarks as “disappointing” and highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third-term victory as evidence of strong governance and public trust.
“From providing free food to 800 million people, administering 2.2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses, and supporting nations globally during the pandemic, to leading India as the fastest-growing major economy, PM Modi’s decisive third-term victory underscores the trust of the Indian people,” Vaishnaw stated on X.
Shivnath Thukral, Meta India’s director of public policy, addressed the issue in a post on X, apologizing for what he termed an “inadvertent error.”
“Mark’s observation that many incumbent governments were not re-elected during the 2024 elections applies to several nations but not to India. We sincerely apologize for this oversight,” Thukral wrote. He highlighted that India remains a key market for Meta and expressed the company’s commitment to supporting the country’s innovative growth.
The apology followed a statement from Nishikant Dubey, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on communications and information technology, who announced plans to summon Meta representatives between January 20 and 24. Dubey criticized Zuckerberg’s remarks, calling them a misrepresentation of India’s democratic process.
“My committee will summon Meta to address this misinformation. Such errors tarnish the image of democratic nations. Meta must apologize to the Indian Parliament and its people,” Dubey posted on X.
The parliamentary panel had earlier expressed concerns over the potential impact of inaccurate statements on India’s reputation. Dubey later described Meta’s apology as a victory for Indian citizens.
