New Delhi, July 7. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed serious concern over the increasing cases of child sexual exploitation and objectionable content (CSEAM) on Instagram. Commission member Priyank Kanoongo stated that over 50 such complaints have been received in the past week. Subsequently, notices have been issued to police chiefs of several states and Meta India, directing them to take action.
Notices Issued to DGPs of Eight States
Priyank Kanoongo informed on the social media platform ‘X’ that based on the complaints received, notices have been sent to the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Odisha. He has asked the police in the respective states to immediately register FIRs and take legal action in the cases.
Meta India Also Warned
The NHRC has also issued a notice to Meta India, warning it to take effective steps to prevent objectionable content involving children on the social media platform. The Commission stated that it is the responsibility of all digital platforms to comply with Indian laws. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also been informed of this matter.
“Social media platforms cannot escape responsibility”
Priyank Kanungo stated that child sexual abuse, videotaping, and uploading it on social media are three separate serious crimes. He added that social media platforms cannot escape responsibility in such cases. If such content is available on the platform, it also raises questions about their monitoring system.
The Commission has previously raised this issue
Kanungo stated that the Commission had previously taken suo motu cognizance of a case involving the BBC. A notice was issued to the Delhi Police in that case. Following the failure to receive the FIR and investigation report on time, the Commission summoned the Delhi Police Commissioner and directed him to appear before the Commission.
Signs of Strictness on Child Protection
The NHRC stated that negligence will not be tolerated in cases of child sexual abuse. The Commission has clarified that along with the culprits, accountability will also be fixed for the platforms that promote or fail to stop such content.