New Delhi, July 5 : The Centre has issued a notice to Meta over the alleged presence of Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) in paid advertisements on Instagram, directing the platform to immediately disable all advertisements and content that promote or facilitate access to such material. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also asked Meta to submit a detailed explanation within seven days on how such content appeared on the platform and what steps are being taken to prevent similar incidents.
The notice marks one of the strongest regulatory actions taken against the social media giant in India this year. The government has treated the matter as one of serious concern and has directed Instagram to take urgent corrective measures, including stopping the promotion and spread of content linked to child sexual exploitation through its systems.
Algorithmic Amplification Under Scrutiny
A key focus of the government’s notice is the role of Instagram’s own recommendation systems. Sources said the government has specifically sought action against the alleged algorithmic amplification of such content, which may have helped increase its visibility on the platform. Some paid advertisements on Instagram were allegedly being used to direct users to external platforms hosting unlawful child sexual abuse material.
The action follows an investigation by the BBC, which claimed that Meta’s recommendation algorithm was pushing child sexual abuse videos, and found that certain ads led users to external channels where illegal content was reportedly being sold, in violation of Meta’s own advertising policies, which prohibit nudity and sexually explicit content.
Legal Consequences on the Table
The government has made the stakes clear. The notice warns that failure to provide the required information or take timely corrective action could invite legal proceedings under the Information Technology Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Officials have also stated that Meta will not be able to claim intermediary safe harbour protections if paid advertisements are found to contain child sexual abuse content. Section 67B of the IT Act provides stringent punishment for uploading or transmitting sexually explicit material involving children.
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials in his Ministry to summon Meta over the issue, with the IT Ministry set to seek a full explanation from the company.
Second Blow to Meta in a Single Week
This is the second time in a week that the Centre has turned up the heat on Meta. On Wednesday, the government issued a separate notice questioning WhatsApp’s planned username feature, citing concerns it could materially increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks, and directed the platform to pause the rollout until consultations are completed to the government’s satisfaction.
Meta’s Position
Meta has not yet publicly responded to the government notice. Responding earlier to the BBC investigation, a Meta spokesperson said the company has policies in place to stop the distribution of child sexual abuse material and is actively working to detect and remove such content, with expert teams working to improve defences, develop technology to root out predators, block links to violating websites, and share intelligence with other companies. An email sent to Meta seeking comment on the government’s action did not elicit a response.
The seven-day deadline now puts Meta under direct regulatory pressure in one of its largest global markets. What the company submits, and whether the government finds it satisfactory, could shape how India enforces child safety obligations on all major platforms going forward.
