The Government of India has issued a formal notice to Meta directing it to immediately disable all Instagram advertisements and content that allegedly promoted or facilitated access to Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM).
The action was initiated by India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). MeitY officials told NDTV Profit that they have ordered Instagram to disable all content facilitating access to child sexual abuse material. The Government issued a stern notice to Meta on child sexual abuse material in paid ads on Instagram and it seeks a detailed explanation within 7 days. Failure to furnish information may invite legal action under the IT Act and POCSO.
The Government has demanded immediate corrective measures against any 'algorithmic amplification' of child sexual abuse material. The ministry has also demanded explanations as to how such advertisements were approved and displayed on Instagram.
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The Government's action follows reports and an international media investigation alleging that paid advertisements on Instagram were directing users to external platforms hosting child sexual abuse material. Some advertisements allegedly used coded language and links to facilitate access to illegal content.
The Menlo Park, California-headquartered technology giant Meta owns popular social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The latest action from the ministry comes amid a BBC report that alleged Meta's recommendation algorithm had been promoting videos containing child sexual abuse material, exposing serious gaps in the safeguards.
The BBC investigation had also reported that the advertisements were allegedly approved through Instagram's advertising system despite Meta's policies prohibiting such material. Authorities are assessing whether the platform fulfilled its obligations under India's Information Technology Act and other applicable regulations governing online intermediaries.
This development comes amidst growing concerns over the misuse of social media platforms. Paid advertisements linked to such content have raised serious questions about the effectiveness of automated screening tools and human moderation employed by digital platforms.
The Indian government has maintained a zero-tolerance approach towards CSEAM, requiring online platforms to promptly detect, remove and report such content while strengthening safeguards to protect children in the digital ecosystem. The government has, from time to time, also blocked websites containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), based on lists from Interpol received through the Central Bureau of Investigation. Authorities have repeatedly warned technology companies that any failure to crack down on CSAM and other harmful content could invite regulatory scrutiny and legal action, PTI reported.
This is the second recent instance in which the Indian Government has taken action involving Meta. Earlier, authorities questioned Meta over the planned rollout of WhatsApp usernames, citing concerns about potential misuse for fraud and impersonation. The latest notice adds to the growing scrutiny of the company's operations in India.
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