In New Delhi, Meta issued an apology regarding comments made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg that upset many in India. This response came after a parliamentary panel called on the company to address the remarks.
The controversy began during an episode of the Joe Rogan Podcast, where Zuckerberg mentioned the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on trust in governments globally. He stated that many countries, including India, saw their incumbent governments lose elections as a result. This statement, he said, was true for “a ton of countries.” However, Indian officials quickly pushed back.
Shivnath Thakural, Meta India’s public policy director, clarified via a post on X that while Zuckerberg’s comments applied to some nations, they did not reflect India’s situation. “Mark’s observation that many incumbent parties were not re-elected in recent elections holds true for several countries, BUT not India,” he wrote. He expressed the company’s commitment to India and its significance to Meta.
Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw criticized Zuckerberg’s comments, calling them “disappointing.” He highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third-term victory as evidence of strong governance and public trust in India. Vaishnaw’s remarks pointed to government initiatives like providing free meals and vaccines, framing Modi’s re-election as a reflection of good governance.
Nishikant Dubey, who leads the parliamentary committee on communications, demanded an apology from Zuckerberg. He plans to summon Meta officials in January to discuss the matter further. Dubey stressed that spreading misinformation can harm a country’s image and insisted that Meta must make amends to the Indian Parliament and its people.
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