Meta Translation Error Falsely Reports CM Siddaramaiah’s Death

• Meta’s Facebook auto-translate falsely reported Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s death.
• The error occurred while translating a condolence message for actress B Saroja Devi.
• CM Siddaramaiah publicly rebuked Meta on X, citing distorted facts in official communication.

GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 18th July: A shocking translation mishap by social media giant Meta has stirred significant controversy in Karnataka this week, after Facebook’s auto-translate feature on an official post from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) erroneously 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.

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. This translation botch rapidly spread, causing panic and a huge social media uproar.

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.”

Call for Accountability and Meta’s Apology
He urged citizens to remain vigilant regarding auto-translations and emphasized the need for extra caution in all government-related digital messages. Taking swift action, Siddaramaiah’s media advisor K.V. Prabhakar issued a formal letter to Meta headquarters on July 16. The letter highlighted 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.

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.

Experts suggest 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 stark reminder for users and officials alike: machine translations, especially on sensitive topics, are not foolproof.