Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologised to the Indian government after concerns over child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on Meta’s platforms emerged as a key issue during high-level discussions with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The apology, conveyed through a letter and meetings between senior Meta executives and government officials, also addressed the spread of AI-generated deepfakes and recent content moderation failures on the company’s platforms.
According to government sources, Indian authorities expressed serious concern over the presence of CSAM and emphasised that online child safety remains a non-negotiable priority. Officials also raised questions over the growing misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfakes and misleading content, urging Meta to strengthen its detection, moderation and enforcement mechanisms. Meta acknowledged operational shortcomings and assured the government that it would implement stronger safeguards and improve its content moderation systems.
The discussions also covered the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook video, which Meta attributed to an operational error. The incident added to concerns over the company’s moderation processes and prompted broader scrutiny of how global technology platforms handle sensitive and high-profile content in India.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has sought an unconditional apology from Zuckerberg and warned that repeated failures to comply with Indian laws could have serious regulatory consequences. The committee has also flagged the possibility of Meta losing its safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. Safe harbour protects intermediaries from liability for user-generated content, provided they exercise due diligence and comply with legal obligations. Any loss of this protection could expose Meta to direct legal action over content hosted on its platforms.
The developments reflect India’s increasing focus on child safety, responsible AI, platform accountability and stronger digital governance, signalling tougher oversight for global technology companies operating in the country.
