Siddaramaiah flags Meta's faulty Kannada auto-translation, says 'distorting facts'
Siddaramaiah raises concerns over inaccurate Kannada-to-English translations on Meta platforms, urging temporary suspension and collaboration with language experts
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday (July 17) raised concerns over faulty auto-translation of Kannada content on Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, stating that it is "distorting facts and misleading users".
He said his media advisor has formally written to the company, urging immediate corrective measures.
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CM's objection
Siddaramaiah said social media platforms must act responsibly, especially when dealing with official communication, and cautioned citizens to be aware that translations displayed on these platforms are often inaccurate.
"Faulty auto-translation of Kannada content on Meta platforms is distorting facts and misleading users. This is especially dangerous when it comes to official communication. My media advisor has formally written to Meta urging immediate correction," Siddaramaiah posted on 'X'.
"Social media platforms must act responsibly. I caution citizens to be aware that translations shown are often inaccurate. Such negligence by tech giants can harm public understanding and trust," he added.
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Faulty auto-translation
In an email sent to Meta on July 16, the chief minister’s media advisor, K V Prabhakar, raised serious concerns on behalf of the CM regarding the automatic translation of Kannada content on Facebook and Instagram.
"We have noted with concern that the auto-translation from Kannada to English is frequently inaccurate and, in some cases, grossly misleading," Prabhakar wrote.
"This poses a significant risk, especially when public communication, official statements, or important messages from the chief minister and the government are incorrectly translated. It can lead to misinterpretation among users, many of whom may not realise that what they are reading is an automated and faulty translation rather than the original message," he added.
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Unacceptable flaws
Given the sensitivity of public communication, especially from a constitutional authority like the chief minister, such misrepresentations caused by flawed translation tools are unacceptable, Prabhakar said.
"On behalf of the chief minister, we urge Meta to temporarily suspend the auto-translation feature for Kannada content until translation accuracy is reliably improved," he added.
The email also urged Meta to collaborate with qualified Kannada language experts and linguistic professionals to enhance the quality and contextual accuracy of translations between Kannada and English.
(With inputs from agencies)