Meta Ordered To Remove Instagram Ads Promoting Child Sexual Abuse : Sources
New Delhi: The government has issued a ‘stern’ warning to Meta over paid Instagram advertising that allegedly promoted child sexual abuse content, ordering their removal and demanding a detailed explanation from the tech giant within seven days. The ministry’s order came a day after IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw directed her officials to summon Meta over Instagram’s advertising issues, sources said on Sunday.
According to sources, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a notification late on Saturday evening, directing Instagram to immediately disable all ads and content on its platform that promote or facilitate access to child sexual abuse and exploitation material (CSEAM). “The government has also requested a detailed clarification from Meta in this regard within the stipulated time,” sources said.
California-based technology giant Meta owns popular social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Despite Meta’s advertising policies explicitly banning nudity and sexually explicit content, the alleged promotion of child sexual abuse content on social media went viral after a BBC investigation found such ads also appeared on Facebook and Instagram.
Amid the reports, the latest action comes from the IT ministry alleging that Meta’s recommendation algorithm promotes videos containing child sexual abuse material, revealing serious gaps in security measures. Ministry officials also requested an explanation regarding the allegations of advertisements containing sexual abuse against children and information regarding the actions taken in the notification sent to Meta.
It is claimed that Instagram shows paid ads containing terms such as ‘rape video’ and ‘child video’, and that these ads direct users to Telegram channels where such content is reportedly on sale. “The government is expected to seek answers as to how such ads were approved, what corrective measures Meta has taken since the allegations emerged, and what measures it plans to take to prevent similar incidents in the future,” sources said.
As Meta comes under regulatory scrutiny for the second time this week even as an intermediary, sources said Meta cannot hide behind claiming it is a ‘third party content’ argument or defense if the allegations involve paid ads promoting child sexual exploitation material. Sources said, “If the allegations turn out to be true, they will be held responsible for the wrong actions they made through advertisements from which the platform generates income.”
MeitY is expected to review the technical and regulatory aspects of the matter. The Center maintains its zero-tolerance approach to CSEAM, requiring online platforms to immediately detect, remove and report such content, while also strengthening security measures to protect children in the digital ecosystem. “Any institution, authority or person can file a complaint against the advertiser or platform if they believe that an offense has been committed under the law,” sources said.
The government has also occasionally blocked websites containing child sexual exploitation material (CSAM) based on lists received from Interpol through the Central Bureau of Investigation, India’s national node for Interpol. Additionally, authorities have repeatedly warned tech companies that failure to take action against CSAM and other harmful content could lead to regulatory scrutiny and legal action.
