Centre cracks down on Meta over child sexual abuse ads on Instagram; seeks reply in 7 days

In a significant move, the Indian government has issued a formal notice to Meta regarding the disturbing presence of Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) in paid advertisements on Instagram. According to reports from ANI, authorities have demanded the immediate removal of such content and a comprehensive explanation from the company within seven days. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed Instagram to deactivate all advertisements and any content that may promote or provide access to CSEAM. This initiative is part of a larger effort by the government to clamp down on the dissemination and promotion of child sexual abuse material online, urging stricter adherence from digital platforms. The decisive action follows a BBC investigation that uncovered troubling evidence. The investigation revealed that Instagram displayed paid ads featuring alarming terms like "rape video" and "child video," which directed users to Telegram channels allegedly offering child sexual abuse material for as little as ₹99. Shockingly, these advertisements had passed Instagram's moderation filters before being displayed. To scrutinize Instagram's recommendation algorithm, the BBC created a test account in India. They noted that the platform began suggesting sexually charged content without user initiation. After the account followed ten profiles that posted suggestive material, it quickly began receiving ads for video calls and explicit content. Alarmingly, it was soon exposed to ads featuring children in sexually suggestive scenarios, along with links to Telegram channels. The investigation found approximately 30 distinct advertisements purportedly promoting child sexual abuse material, with many appearing through multiple advertiser accounts. Additionally, around 20 ads related to adult pornography were identified. In response to inquiries from the BBC, Meta confirmed that it had taken action by disabling certain advertisements and suspending the associated accounts. The company noted that it later removed more ads, disabled additional accounts, and blocked URLs linked to content that breaches its policies. While Meta acknowledged that "no system is perfect," the firm emphasized its ongoing use of proactive detection technologies and user reporting capabilities to address policy violations. Moreover, whenever it identifies potential child exploitation, the company commits to reporting such material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), adhering to relevant legal requirements.