India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought an explanation from Meta following allegations that Instagram advertisements were used to direct users toward child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The move comes after a BBC investigation raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of Meta’s advertising moderation systems and has placed the company under renewed regulatory scrutiny.
According to the investigation, certain advertisements appearing on Instagram allegedly contained references that redirected users to Telegram channels where child sexual abuse material was being offered for sale. The report claimed that some of these advertisements remained accessible even after being flagged by users, prompting questions about how such content passed through Instagram’s review process.
Responding to the reports, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw directed MeitY officials to summon Meta executives and seek clarification on the incident. The government is expected to examine how the advertisements were approved, whether existing safeguards failed, and what additional measures the company plans to implement to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Meta has condemned child sexual exploitation, calling it a “horrific crime” and reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy against child sexual abuse material. The company said it relies on artificial intelligence, automated detection systems, human reviewers, and user reports to identify and remove harmful content and advertisements. At the same time, Meta acknowledged that no moderation system is entirely foolproof and that some violations may evade detection. Following the BBC’s findings, the company removed the reported advertisements, disabled the associated accounts, and blocked the linked destinations.
The development comes at a time when Meta is already facing increased attention from Indian regulators. Earlier this week, MeitY questioned WhatsApp’s proposed username feature over concerns related to impersonation, identity fraud, and compliance with India’s digital safety and data protection requirements.
The controversy has also reignited discussions around online child safety in India. Several states, including Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, have proposed restrictions on children’s use of social media, while Maharashtra and Goa are considering similar measures. The Central government is also exploring broader policies aimed at strengthening online protections for minors.
While the allegations are still under regulatory review, the case underscores the growing responsibility of technology companies to ensure that illegal content is detected and removed before it reaches users. As governments around the world tighten oversight of digital platforms, the outcome of MeitY’s inquiry could influence future policies on platform accountability, content moderation, and child safety in India’s rapidly expanding digital ecosystem.
Nandita Sharma
