NEW DELHI, JUL 5 (AGENCIES): The Centre has issued a stern notice to Meta, ordering the platform to immediately remove Instagram advertisements promoting child sexual abuse content, according to reports. Meta is the parent company of Instagram.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Saturday ordered Instagram to remove all content that facilitated access to child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) and sought a detailed response from Meta within seven days. “MeitY has ordered Instagram to disable all ads and content promoting and facilitating access to CSEAM,” sources told PTI. The government has also directed Meta to take corrective measures against the “algorithmic amplification” of sexually exploitative content on Instagram.
Meta has faced increasing scrutiny over its content moderation policies after a BBC investigation found that Instagram was displaying paid advertisements that allegedly promoted CSEAM-related material in India.
The ads, which the BBC said it had seen, reportedly linked users to channels on the messaging app Telegram and claimed users could buy the alleged child sexual abuse material for as little as Rs 99. The ads reportedly used terms including “rape video” and “child video” and directed users to Telegram, where the transactions were allegedly carried out.
The report found 30 unique advertisements that appeared to promote child sexual abuse. When the broadcaster approached Instagram over one ad that showed a “very young girl in tears”, Instagram responded that it did not violate its community standards.
Centre summoned Meta officials Friday after the report gained traction following its release. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has asked officials to seek an explanation from Meta over the issue.
Meta’s Response: On the BBC report, a Meta spokesperson said the company has a zero-tolerance policy on soliciting or sharing CSAM, including through advertisements.
In an emailed statement, the spokesperson said Meta uses advanced AI to proactively detect violating content and offenders but remains in a constant battle with criminals who try to evade detection. It said that expert teams are continually strengthening defences, developing new technology, blocking links to offending websites and sharing intelligence with other companies to combat online child exploitation.
Monday, July 6, 2026