Government orders Meta to remove Instagram ads linked to child sexual abuse content

The Centre has issued a notice to Meta, directing the company to immediately remove content on Instagram that allegedly facilitated access to child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM).

The government has also sought a detailed explanation within seven days, warning that failure to respond could invite legal action.

The action follows allegations that paid advertisements on Instagram promoted search terms linked to child sexual abuse material and redirected users to Telegram channels where such content was allegedly being sold.

According to an NDTV report, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked Meta to explain how such advertisements were approved despite the company's policies prohibiting sexually explicit content and child exploitation.

Government seeks immediate action

In its notice, MeitY directed Instagram to remove all content that facilitates access to child sexual exploitation and abuse material without delay.

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The ministry also sought details of the corrective measures taken by Meta after the allegations surfaced and asked the company to explain what safeguards it plans to introduce to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The government has specifically sought an explanation regarding the alleged "algorithmic amplification" of such content and questioned how paid advertisements linked to child abuse material were allowed to appear on the platform.

Failure to provide the required information could lead to legal proceedings under the Information Technology Act as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

BBC report triggers scrutiny

The notice comes after a BBC investigation alleged that Meta's recommendation systems promoted videos containing child sexual abuse material. The report also claimed that advertisements containing search terms such as "rape video" and "child video" appeared on Facebook and Instagram.

According to the report, these advertisements directed users to Telegram channels where child sexual abuse material was allegedly available for purchase.

The allegations have intensified concerns over online child safety and the role of digital platforms in preventing the spread of illegal content.

Meta responds to allegations

Responding to the allegations, a Meta spokesperson told news agency PTI that the company has a zero-tolerance policy towards child sexual abuse material.

According to PTI, the spokesperson said Meta uses advanced artificial intelligence tools to proactively detect and remove violating content. However, the company acknowledged that it remains in a constant battle against criminals attempting to evade detection across its platforms, which serve around 3.5 billion users globally.

Meta added that its specialised teams continue to strengthen safety systems, develop new technologies to identify offenders, block links to websites hosting illegal material and share intelligence with other technology companies to improve detection efforts.

(with inputs from agencies.)