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Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah calls out Meta for alleged faulty translation of Kannada
He emphasized the risk of misleading public communications and urged Meta to suspend the feature until accuracy improves.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has raised serious concerns over the inaccurate automatic translation of Kannada content on Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. He cautioned that such errors are distorting facts and misleading the public, especially when it comes to official government communications.
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In a public post, Siddaramaiah said, “Faulty auto-translation of Kannada content on Meta platforms is distorting facts and misleading users. This is especially dangerous when it comes to official communications.” Urging tech platforms to act responsibly, he added, “Such negligence by tech giants can harm public understanding and trust.”
To formally flag the issue, the CM’s Media Advisor, K.V. Prabhakar, has written to Meta on behalf of the Chief Minister. The letter notes that the auto-translations are frequently inaccurate and, in some cases, grossly misleading. “This poses a significant risk, especially when public communications, official statements, or important messages from the Chief Minister and the Government are incorrectly translated,” the letter reads.
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The email highlights that many users may not realise they are reading an automated and flawed translation, mistaking it for the original message. The concern is especially serious given that the communication often comes from constitutional authorities and state officials.
UPDATE: Meta later apologised and said it had addressed the issue.
What Karnataka government asked Meta?
Karnataka government asked Meta to temporarily suspend the auto-translation feature for Kannada content until the system’s accuracy improves significantly. It also asked the platform to collaborate with qualified Kannada language experts and linguistic professionals to enhance the quality and contextual accuracy of translations between Kannada and English.
The government has urged Meta to treat the issue with “due seriousness” and take urgent corrective measures. The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) also sought a response from Meta outlining the steps being taken to resolve the issue.
