New Delhi: Meta has acknowledged a mistake involving child sexual abuse material linked to advertisements on Instagram and agreed to strengthen its reporting mechanism with Indian law enforcement agencies, amid increasing government scrutiny of online platforms.
The government has maintained that social media companies have responsibilities beyond simply hosting user content, particularly when their algorithms influence what users see. Officials have also raised questions over whether platforms can claim legal protection when their systems actively recommend or amplify harmful material. The final interpretation of intermediary protections, however, remains a matter for the judiciary.
Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, has agreed to report child safety related cases directly to the cybercrime portal operated by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). The company had previously routed such reports involving Indian users through the US based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The move follows growing pressure on technology platforms in India to strengthen safeguards against illegal and harmful online material. Child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, algorithmic amplification and other forms of harmful content have increasingly come under government scrutiny.
In July, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notice to Meta over allegations involving paid Instagram advertisements connected to child sexual exploitation and abuse material. The ministry directed Instagram to remove and disable content that promoted or facilitated access to such material and sought an explanation from the company.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights had also taken suo motu cognisance of allegations concerning such advertisements. It issued a notice to Meta on July 3 and subsequently received the company’s response.
The commission has since initiated a formal inquiry into the matter and has summoned Meta India’s Managing Director and Head of India again as part of the proceedings.
The government has emphasised that protecting children online is a fundamental requirement for platforms operating in India. The latest developments are part of broader efforts to increase accountability among social media companies and ensure faster action against illegal content.
Meta has said it is committed to working with Indian authorities to strengthen efforts against child exploitation and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
