Govt cracks down on Meta over Instagram ads linked to child sexual abuse content: Report
The Centre has issued a notice to Meta over alleged child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) appearing in paid advertisements on Instagram, directing the social media giant to immediately remove such content and explain the lapses, NDTV reported, quoting sources.
According to reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has given Meta seven days to submit a detailed response, warning that failure to comply could invite legal action under the Information Technology Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Meta owns both Instagram and Facebook.
Govt seeks immediate corrective action
The government has directed Instagram to remove all content that facilitates access to child sexual exploitation and abuse material and take urgent steps to stop the "algorithmic amplification" of such content.
Officials have also sought details on how the platform intends to prevent similar incidents in the future.
BBC investigation triggered action
The notice follows a BBC investigation that alleged Meta's recommendation algorithm had been promoting videos containing child sexual abuse material, exposing significant gaps in the platform's content moderation systems.
The report also claimed that paid advertisements linked to such content had appeared on both Facebook and Instagram despite Meta's advertising policies prohibiting nudity and sexually explicit material.
Ads allegedly redirected users to Telegram
According to the report, Instagram displayed paid advertisements using search terms such as "rape video" and "child video", allegedly directing users to Telegram channels where such material was being offered for sale.
The government has asked Meta to explain how these advertisements were approved and allowed to run on its platforms.
Questions for Meta
As part of its notice, MeitY has sought answers on several key issues, including:
- How the advertisements were approved despite existing content policies.
- What immediate corrective measures have been taken since the allegations surfaced.
- What additional safeguards will be introduced to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
- How Meta plans to curb the algorithmic promotion of content linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The government's move signals a tougher regulatory approach towards social media platforms over the spread of illegal and harmful content, particularly material involving the sexual exploitation of children.
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