Meta is facing greater accountability in India after agreeing to report child-safety cases directly to Indian law-enforcement authorities. The move follows government pressure over harmful content and advertisements allegedly linked to child sexual abuse appearing on its platforms.
The controversy intensified after a BBC Eye investigation in July reportedly identified around 30 paid Instagram advertisements in India promoting or directing users toward child sexual abuse material, including Telegram channels. Some allegedly offered access for as little as ₹99.
The findings raised serious questions about Meta’s advertising review and automated moderation systems. Particularly concerning was the reported failure to immediately identify some flagged advertisements as violations, despite the extremely sensitive nature of the content.
India’s National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) subsequently took suo motu cognisance and summoned Meta India representatives. Meta executives appeared before the commission on September 9 amid growing demands for stronger preventive measures and accountability.
Meta has now committed to reporting relevant child-safety matters directly to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. This could accelerate domestic investigations by reducing dependence on reporting routes through U.S.-based organizations.
However, reporting after detection is only part of the solution. Platforms need stronger AI-driven detection, rapid removal, evidence preservation and cooperation with investigators. As AI-generated abusive material becomes increasingly sophisticated, the larger challenge is clear: child safety must be built into platforms by design, not treated merely as a response after harm occurs.
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