Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly criticized Meta, demanding the suspension of its Kannada auto-translation feature after a glaring error on Facebook and Instagram “digitally killed” the CM in an official condolence message. This tech blunder has reignited concerns about the reliability of AI-powered translations for official communication on social media platforms.
A Translation Gone Wrong
The controversy began when the Chief Minister’s Office posted a condolence message in Kannada on Facebook and Instagram, mourning the passing of veteran actress B Sarojadevi. According to The Times of India, Meta’s English auto-translation, however, shockingly read: “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah passed away yesterday multilingual star, senior actress B. Took darshan of Sarojadevi’s earthly body and paid his last respects.” The error wrongly implied that the Chief Minister himself had passed away rather than paying respects to the late actress.
CM’s Strong Reaction & Call for Action
Understandably upset, Siddaramaiah responded on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Faulty auto-translation of Kannada content on Meta platforms is distorting facts and misleading users. This is dangerous when it comes to official communication. Social media platforms must act responsibly.” He urged Meta to immediately suspend its Kannada auto-translation service until the technology is improved.
The Chief Minister’s media adviser, K V Prabhakar, also wrote to Meta, highlighting that such mistakes could cause widespread confusion, especially when public communication is involved. Prabhakar stressed that many users may not even realize they’re reading an automated translation rather than an original message. He cautioned that repeated errors could erode public trust.
Demand for Collaboration with Kannada Language Experts
Along with the demand to halt Kannada auto-translation, the Karnataka CMO asked Meta to work closely with Kannada language experts and professionals to enhance the tool’s contextual accuracy before resuming the feature. The CMO flagged that the auto-translation from Kannada to English is often inaccurate and, in some cases, grossly misleading, especially in the context of sensitive or official statements.
Broader Concerns Over AI Translation Tools
This incident is the latest in a string of high-profile translation mistakes by big tech, bringing to light the challenges of deploying AI-based language tools for Indian languages, which often have nuanced expressions, context-specific phrases, and complex grammar. Inaccurate translations can lead to dangerous miscommunication, especially in politically charged or sensitive scenarios.
The Chief Minister has urged citizens to be cautious and not to trust social media auto-translations blindly, emphasizing the need for human review in official communications.
What’s Next for Meta?
As of now, Meta has not issued a public statement regarding this particular incident. The company has previously said that it is constantly working to improve translation accuracy and relies on feedback from users and language experts.
Key Takeaways
- Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah slams Meta for faulty Kannada-to-English translation that declared him dead in a condolence post.
- CM’s office formally asks Meta to pause Kannada auto-translation and collaborate with language professionals.
- The incident highlights growing concerns about the dependability of AI translation for official communication in Indian languages.
Photo Credit: Times of India
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