Key Points
- Meta’s auto-translation on Facebook wrongly declared Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah dead.
- The error followed a condolence post about actress B Saroja Devi from the Chief Minister’s Office.
- Siddaramaiah publicly condemned Meta, demanding urgent corrections and accountability for misleading content.
- CM’s media advisor KV Prabhakar formally addressed Meta, citing risks of inaccurate government communication.
- Meta issued an official apology after public and government outrage.
Bengaluru: A shocking translation mishap by social media giant Meta stirred major controversy in Karnataka this week when Facebook’s auto-translate feature on an official post from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) wrongly reported that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had died. The error, triggered during the translation of a condolence message about veteran actress B Saroja Devi, quickly sparked confusion and outrage across social media platforms.
Meta’s Translation Blunder on Official Government Post
The controversy began when the CMO, using its official Kannada Facebook page, published a heartfelt condolence following the passing of legendary actress B Saroja Devi. However, Facebook’s auto-generated English translation crucially misread the Kannada content—declaring CM Siddaramaiah deceased instead. The translation botch rapidly spread, causing panic and a huge social media uproar.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Demands Accountability
Deeply disturbed by the incident, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly rebuked Meta for the egregious translation error. In a statement published on X (formerly Twitter), Siddaramaiah warned,
“Faulty self-translation of Kannada content on Meta platforms is distorting facts and misleading users. This is especially dangerous for official communication.”
He urged citizens to remain vigilant regarding auto-translations and emphasized the need for extra caution in all government-related digital messages.
Formal Complaint Filed With Meta
Taking swift action, Siddaramaiah’s media advisor KV Prabhakar issued a formal letter to Meta headquarters on July 16. The letter spotlighted the risks of faulty translations in sensitive government communications and demanded immediate technical corrections and accountability from Meta.
Prabhakar wrote, “Given the sensitivity of government matters, especially communications from constitutional authorities like the Chief Minister, using inaccurate auto-translation tools is simply unacceptable.”
The CMO also advised Meta to appoint specialized teams to ensure quality translations, particularly for major Indian languages like Kannada.
Meta Issues Public Apology, Promises Action
With mounting backlash from both the public and government officials, Meta issued an official apology. A spokesperson for Meta acknowledged the incident, expressed regret over the confusion caused, and assured the Karnataka government that steps would be taken to review and improve machine-generated translations, particularly for official accounts and posts.
Translation Errors: A Global Social Media Challenge
Experts say this latest incident highlights ongoing concerns over AI and machine translation technologies especially for regional languages. While tech giants like Meta aim for seamless communication, the accuracy of emotional and official content remains a major issue, often resulting in misleading or even harmful information.
The Karnataka government has called for stricter oversight and more robust translation review systems on global social platforms. The incident stands as a reminder for users and officials alike: machine translations, especially on sensitive topics, are not foolproof.
