mark-zuckerberg-faces-backlash-from-india-over-remarks

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's comments on the Joe Rogan podcast have led to a clash with the Indian government. In the podcast, Zuckerberg discussed how the Covid pandemic led to a global breakdown in trust in governments, mentioning that incumbents in many countries, including India, lost elections in 2024. 

He suggested that economic policies during Covid and how governments handled the pandemic played a role in this loss of trust.

1/ 🚨 Mark Zuckerberg on Joe Rogan!

They covered everything from free speech to Jiu-Jitsu, AR glasses, and the future of AI. A fascinating, wide-ranging convo that blends tech and humanity.

Here’s the breakdown: 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/F0CNqAJsYY

— Dino (@DaBrusi) January 11, 2025

In response, Indian Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called Zuckerberg’s statements “factually incorrect” in a tweet posted on Monday. Vaishnaw expressed disappointment, accusing Zuckerberg of spreading misinformation. 

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,…

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 13, 2025

He further highlighted India's achievements, including free food distribution for 800 million people, 2.2 billion free vaccines, and economic growth, pointing out Prime Minister Modi’s decisive third-term victory as proof of strong governance and public trust.

Vaishnaw also posted his comments under the podcast's video on YouTube. It is unclear if the Indian government will take steps to block the video due to the misinformation concerns.

 

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