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A serious translation error by Meta’s automated language tool caused public confusion and outrage in Karnataka after it incorrectly reported Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as deceased. The mistranslation occurred when the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) posted a condolence message on Facebook, originally in Kannada, mourning the demise of veteran actress B Saroja Devi.
Instead of accurately translating the message, Meta’s auto-translation falsely stated that the Chief Minister had passed away, alongside describing his tribute to the late actress. The glaring error drew immediate backlash, with Siddaramaiah expressing concern over the irresponsible use of automated translation tools in sensitive public communications.
Reacting firmly, the Chief Minister urged Meta to suspend its Kannada auto-translation feature until its accuracy improves. He warned that flawed translations, especially from official sources, risk spreading misinformation and eroding public trust. His media adviser, KV Prabhakar, officially communicated the matter to Meta, demanding urgent corrections and long-term collaboration with Kannada linguists to enhance translation quality.
Faulty auto-translation of Kannada content on @Meta platforms is distorting facts & misleading users. This is especially dangerous when it comes to official communications.
My Media Advisor Shri K V Prabhakar has formally written to Meta urging immediate correction.
Social… pic.twitter.com/tJBp38wcHr
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah)
Faulty auto-translation of Kannada content on @Meta platforms is distorting facts & misleading users. This is especially dangerous when it comes to official communications.
My Media Advisor Shri K V Prabhakar has formally written to Meta urging immediate correction.
Social… pic.twitter.com/tJBp38wcHr— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 17, 2025
">July 17, 2025
The letter pointed out that the translation feature has repeatedly produced misleading results, which is especially dangerous when it affects government announcements or public information. Siddaramaiah also cautioned citizens not to rely blindly on social media translations, as they often fail to capture linguistic and contextual nuances.
Following the backlash, Meta reportedly corrected the erroneous translation. However, the incident has triggered a broader conversation about the accountability of tech platforms in multilingual countries like India.
