Govt asks Meta to remove Instagram ads linked to child sexual abuse, seeks response in 7 days
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New Delhi: The Centre has issued a stern notice to Meta, directing the company to disable paid Instagram advertisements that allegedly promote or facilitate access to child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM), and has sought a detailed explanation within seven days, sources told ANI.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered Instagram to immediately remove any adverts or content linked to CSEAM as part of a broader effort to curb the circulation and monetisation of child sexual abuse material online.
The action follows a BBC Eye investigation that found paid ads on Instagram using search terms such as "rape video" and "child video" that reportedly redirected users to Telegram channels where abusive material was offered for sale. The BBC said some of the adverts had passed Instagram’s moderation and appeared on accounts created to test the platform’s recommendations.
According to the investigation, a test account that followed sexually suggestive profiles began receiving ads within a week offering explicit services and, days later, adverts featuring children in sexually suggestive situations with links to Telegram. The BBC identified about 30 unique adverts allegedly promoting CSEAM and around 20 showing adult pornography.
Meta told the BBC it had disabled several advertisements and suspended the accounts responsible after being queried, and later removed additional content, disabled more accounts and blocked associated URLs. The company acknowledged imperfections in its systems and said it uses proactive detection tools, accepts user reports, and reports apparent child exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) as required by law.
MeitY has asked Meta to provide a detailed explanation of the lapses within seven days and to ensure removal of all ads and content that facilitate access to CSEAM. Sources said the government is seeking stricter compliance from digital platforms in preventing the spread and monetisation of such material.