Social networking giant Facebook has apologised after showing Jammu and Kashmir as a part of China in a map. Included in the February newsletter of FbStart – a Facebook programme targetted at mobile startups – the world map shows almost the entire northern state as Chinese territory. Arunachal Pradesh was also merged with some Chinese territory, reported Quartz.
“We regret the incorrect depiction of the Indian map, the error is unintentional,” a Facebook spokesperson said. The India-China border dispute remains unresolved: Chinese-controlled Aksai Chin is claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir, and Indian-controlled Arunachal Pradesh is claimed by China.
The controversy comes days after Facebook's Free Basics programme, which included differential pricing for internet services, was barred by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. Facebook had been aggressively lobbying for Free Basics in India and reportedly spent nearly Rs 300 crore to promote it in the country.
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