Insta ads: Meta claims zero tolerance for child abuse material

New Delhi: Meta has defended its content moderation practices after the Indian government issued the company a notice over reports that Instagram carried advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The company said it follows a zero-tolerance policy towards CSAM and strictly prohibits such content, including in advertisements, across its platforms.

A Meta spokesperson claimed the company uses advanced artificial intelligence to identify offenders among its 3.5 billion users. Dedicated teams continuously work to detect criminals, block links leading to illegal content and share intelligence with other technology companies to curb the spread of CSAM.

Meta's response comes after a BBC investigation alleged that its algorithms amplified advertisements containing search terms such as "rape video" and "child video" despite policies banning sexually explicit content on Facebook and Instagram. According to the report, the advertisements directed users to Telegram channels where CSAM was allegedly being sold.

The revelations prompted the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to issue a notice to Meta, calling the matter serious and seeking a detailed explanation within seven days. The Centre is examining how such paid advertisements were approved and whether Meta's algorithmic amplification contributed to promoting criminal content.

The government has sought details on the company's moderation process, the action taken after the allegations surfaced and the safeguards it plans to implement to prevent similar incidents. It has warned that failure to provide a satisfactory response within the stipulated period could invite legal action under the Information Technology Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.