‘Apologize to Indians’: Panel summons Meta over Zuckerberg’s poll comment

India’s Parliamentary Committee will summon Meta officials after CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s controversial remarks on incumbent governments losing power post-Covid-19. Zuckerberg’s statement, made during the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, sparked backlash from BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who chairs the committee on communications and information technology.

Dubey announced the decision to summon Meta and demanded an apology. He criticized Zuckerberg’s comments, calling them misleading and harmful to India’s democracy. “My committee will call Meta for this wrong information,” Dubey posted on X. He added that the company must apologize to India’s Parliament and citizens for spreading misinformation.

During the podcast, Zuckerberg suggested that governments worldwide, including India’s BJP-led NDA, lost power in elections after the pandemic. He claimed a global breakdown in trust following Covid-19. “2024 was a big election year globally, and incumbents, including India, basically lost every single one of them,” Zuckerberg said.

Dubey labeled these remarks as an interference in India’s democracy. “This statement by Zuckerberg is alarming and misleading. It tarnishes the country’s image,” he said. He confirmed plans to summon Meta officials between January 20 and January 24. “Meta’s team will face our committee. They must apologize, or we will take action,” Dubey asserted.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also countered Zuckerberg’s claims, describing them as misinformation. He emphasized the need to uphold facts and maintain credibility. Zuckerberg’s suggestion to replace Meta’s fact-checkers with “community notes” further fueled the controversy. This feature, inspired by X’s user-driven clarifications, aims to address misinformation but has raised concerns about reliability.

The committee’s decision to summon Meta highlights the growing scrutiny on tech platforms and their role in shaping public opinion. Dubey’s call for accountability underscores the government’s stance against misinformation and foreign interference in India’s political discourse. The upcoming hearing will likely focus on Zuckerberg’s remarks, Meta’s policies, and steps to prevent such incidents in the future.

This development reflects broader global tensions between governments and tech giants over misinformation and transparency. With increasing pressure on platforms like Meta to ensure accountability, the parliamentary committee’s actions could set a precedent for how India addresses such issues moving forward.