Government issues notice to Meta over alleged child sexual abuse ads on Instagram

The Centre has issued a notice to Meta over allegations that paid advertisements on Instagram promoted child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM), directing the company to disable such content and explain how it was allowed to appear on the platform.

Government sources said the notice was served on Saturday evening, a day after Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw directed officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to summon the company over the allegations.

According to sources, MeitY has ordered Instagram to remove all advertisements and content that promote or facilitate access to CSEAM. The ministry has also sought details of the action taken by Meta and has asked the company to submit a detailed explanation within seven days.

The action follows a recent BBC investigation that alleged Meta's recommendation system promoted videos containing child sexual abuse material and highlighted the appearance of paid advertisements on Facebook and Instagram despite the company's policies banning sexually explicit content. The report claimed some Instagram advertisements used terms such as "rape video" and "child video", directing users to Telegram channels where such material was allegedly being sold.

Officials are expected to seek answers from Meta on how the advertisements were approved, the steps taken after the allegations surfaced, and the safeguards being introduced to prevent similar incidents in future.

Sources said Meta cannot rely on the defence of being an intermediary if the allegations concern paid advertisements from which the platform earns revenue. If the claims are found to be true, the company could be held accountable for the advertisements, they added.

While MeitY will examine the regulatory and technical aspects of the case, authorities said complaints may also be filed against advertisers or platforms if offences under Indian law are suspected.

The government reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards child sexual abuse material, requiring online platforms to detect, remove and report such content promptly. It also noted that websites hosting CSAM have been blocked in the past based on lists received from Interpol through the Central Bureau of Investigation, India's national nodal agency for Interpol.

The latest notice marks the second regulatory action against Meta this week. Earlier, the Centre questioned the company's proposed username feature for WhatsApp, citing concerns that it could increase phishing, impersonation and other cyber frauds. The government asked Meta to suspend the rollout until consultations are completed and sought an explanation on why action should not be initiated under the Information Technology Act and related rules. Officials said the company is expected to submit its response within the prescribed timeline.