Meta the parent company of Facebook, recently issued an apology after Mark Zuckerberg’s remark about India’s 2024 elections, facing backlash from officials who emphasized the government’s decisive victory and public trust.
During a podcast with US-based host Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg claimed that public dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the defeat of most incumbent administrations, including India’s.
Meta Apology for Zuckerberg’s Remark
On Monday, Bhartiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey had said that a Parliamentary panel will summon representatives of Meta between January 20 and 24, seeking an apology for Mark Zuckerberg’s remarks.
As the world’s largest democracy with over 640 million voters participating in the 2024 elections, India saw the incumbent NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi secure a decisive victory. Ashwini Vaishnaw reiterated that the election results reaffirmed the public’s trust in Modi’s leadership.
Shivnath Thukral, who is the Meta India’s vice president of public policy shared a post on X, stated “Dear Honorable Minister Ashwini Vaishnav , Mark’s observation that many incumbent parties were not re-elected in 2024 elections holds true for several countries, But not India.” “We would like to apologize for this inadvertent error. India remains an incredibly important country for Meta and we look forward to being at the heart of its innovative future” he wrote on X.
Dear Honourable Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw , Mark’s observation that many incumbent parties were not re-elected in 2024 elections holds true for several countries, BUT not India. We would like to apologise for this inadvertent error. India remains an incredibly important country…
— Shivnath Thukral (@shivithukral) January 14, 2025
Implications for Meta Operations in India
India represents a biggest market for Meta With a vast users base across its platform. The recent incident underscores tech challenges global tech companies face in navigating complex.
Meta India’s apology is seen as an effort to repair relations and reinforce its commitment to the country’s thriving digital ecosystem.
