Meta has issued an apology after an auto-translation error on some of its platforms incorrectly indicated that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had died. The issue arose when the Chief Minister’s condolence post, written in Kannada, was translated into English, mistakenly stating that he had “passed away.”
Original Post and Meta’s Response
On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah posted a message mourning the death of veteran actress B Saroja Devi on Facebook and Instagram. However, the automated translation incorrectly altered the message’s meaning, causing confusion among users.
On Thursday, a Meta spokesperson confirmed that the company had “fixed an issue that briefly caused this inaccurate Kannada translation.” The spokesperson expressed regret, stating, “We apologize that this happened.”
Official Reaction and Calls for Improvements
Following the mistranslation, Siddaramaiah criticized Meta’s auto-translate feature for Kannada, accusing it of distorting facts and misleading users. He warned that such errors could be especially harmful when used in official communications.
His media advisor, KV Prabhakar, wrote to Meta requesting the correction of the translation and the temporary suspension of Kannada auto-translation until its accuracy could be ensured. The letter also urged Meta to collaborate with Kannada language experts to prevent future mistakes.
When checked on Friday, the English translation of Siddaramaiah’s post read:
“The multilingual star, senior actress B Sarojadevi who passed away yesterday, paid his last respects.”
Meta has not yet confirmed whether it will suspend Kannada translations while working on improvements.
What The Author Thinks
Errors like this highlight a serious issue with automated translations — they can cause misinformation that may damage reputations or create unnecessary panic. For official figures and public communications, precision is crucial. Social media platforms must prioritize collaboration with language experts and invest in better AI tools to respect cultural and linguistic nuances. Until then, automated translations should be used cautiously, especially for sensitive content.
Featured image credit: Vitya_maly via GoodFon
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