Meta Apologizes Over Faulty Kannada Translations: A Call for Responsible Tech

Meta has apologized for a translation error in Kannada on its platforms, prompting concerns from Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The issue, now fixed, led to misleading information, highlighting the importance of accuracy, particularly in official communications. Karnataka requests a halt to the auto-translation feature until reliability is ensured.

Social media giant Meta issued an apology on Thursday for a translation hiccup involving the Kannada language, following grievances raised by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The auto-translation problem had reportedly distorted facts on Meta's platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah underscored the risks such translation inaccuracies pose, particularly when it comes to disseminating official communications. He mentioned that his media advisor had officially requested Meta to rectify the issue immediately.

The Karnataka government has formally asked Meta to temporarily suspend auto-translation for Kannada content until the company can prove the feature's reliability. Despite Meta's assurance of fixing the translation error, the incident raises questions about tech companies' responsibilities in ensuring accurate translations.

(With inputs from agencies.)