Meta Platforms, the social media giant that operates Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, is set to be summoned by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and Information Technology following its Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg's controversial remark on the 2024 Indian general elections.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey, who chairs the panel, shared the news after Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw fact-checked Zuckerberg's comment, and condemned Meta over the spread of misinformation.
"My committee will call @Meta for this wrong information. Wrong information in any democratic country tarnishes the image of the country. That organisation will have to apologise to the Indian Parliament and the people here for this mistake," Dubey wrote on his X profile.
Zuckerberg sparked controversy with his comments about the elections held in India in the summer of 2024, which he made during his appearance on the popular Joe Rogan podcast released on Jan. 10. While discussing the global erosion of trust in governments following the Covid-19 pandemic, Zuckerberg suggested that public dissatisfaction had influenced election outcomes worldwide.
"2024 was a big election year around the world and all these countries, including India had elections. The incumbents basically lost every single one. There is some sort of global phenomenon- whether it was because of inflation or the economic policies to deal with Covid or just how the governments dealt with Covid. It seems to have had this effect that's global," he had said.
The comment was factually incorrect as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance won the general elections in India, though with a slimmer majority, and formed the government for a third consecutive time.
मेरी कमिटि इस ग़लत जानकारी के लिए @Meta को बुलाएगी । किसी भी लोकतांत्रिक देश की ग़लत जानकारी देश की छवि को धूमिल करती है । इस गलती के लिए भारतीय संसद से तथा यहाँ की जनता से उस संस्था को माफ़ी माँगनी पड़ेगी https://t.co/HulRl1LF4z
Earlier on Jan. 13, Ashwini Vaishnaw criticised Zuckerberg for his remarks. "It is disappointing to see misinformation from Zuckerberg himself," the minister tweeted.
"As the world's largest democracy, India conducted the 2024 elections with over 640 million voters. People of India reaffirmed their trust in NDA led by PM @narendramodi Ji's leadership. Mr. Zuckerberg's claim that most incumbent governments, including India in 2024 elections, lost post-COVID is factually incorrect," Vaishnaw said.
"From free food for 800 million, 2.2 billion free vaccines, and aid to nations worldwide during COVID, to leading India as the fastest-growing major economy, PM Modi's decisive 3rd-term victory is a testament to good governance and public trust. @Meta, it's disappointing to see misinformation from Mr. Zuckerberg himself. Let's uphold facts and credibility," he added.
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