New Delhi: The Indian government has directed Instagram to disable advertisements that promote or provide access to Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) after a BBC Eye investigation uncovered several such ads on the platform.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a notice to Meta, Instagram’s parent company, seeking a detailed explanation within seven days on how such advertisements were allowed to appear and what steps the company is taking to prevent similar incidents.
The action follows a BBC Eye investigation that found multiple Instagram advertisements allegedly directing users to external platforms where child sexual abuse content was available. The report raised serious concerns about online child safety and the effectiveness of content moderation on social media.
In response, Meta said it had already removed the advertisements identified in the investigation, suspended several accounts involved, and blocked links connected to the reported content. The company stated that it has strict policies against child exploitation and is cooperating with authorities to address the issue.
The government is expected to closely monitor Meta’s response and may consider further action if the company’s explanation or corrective measures are found to be inadequate.
The incident has renewed calls for stronger content moderation, stricter enforcement of child protection laws, and greater accountability from social media platforms operating in India.
