Zuckerberg Apologizes to Indian Government Over CSAM, Deepfakes; Meta Faces Fresh Scrutiny

New Delhi: Mark Zuckerberg has apologized to the Indian government over the presence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), deepfake content, and operational lapses on Meta's platforms, according to government sources. The apology reportedly followed a meeting between Meta representatives and Indian officials amid heightened regulatory scrutiny.

Government sources said Meta acknowledged that paid promotion mechanisms had been used to boost certain categories of content, including illegal material, and expressed regret over the lapses. Officials also conveyed that, in the government's view, Meta's content selection practices could affect its eligibility for "safe harbour" protection under the Information Technology Act, arguing that the company actively determines content distribution rather than acting solely as an intermediary.

The meeting comes after the Centre had issued notices to Meta over alleged CSAM-related advertisements on Instagram and demanded stronger safeguards against harmful content. Meta has maintained that it has a zero-tolerance policy toward CSAM and is strengthening its AI-based detection and moderation systems.

Government sources indicated that Meta will be called for further discussions as authorities continue examining the company's compliance with Indian digital regulations and content moderation practices.