The Centre has issued a stern notice to Meta on Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) in paid advertisements on Instagram, sources told PTI on Sunday (July 5).
In the notice issued on Saturday (July 4) evening, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered Instagram to disable all advertisements and content that promote or facilitate access to CSEAM, while seeking a detailed explanation within seven days.
Also read: Govt seeks answer from Meta over Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material
The ministry has also asked Meta to undertake corrective action against the “algorithm amplification” of CSEAM.
The notification comes amid the Centre’s crackdown on CSAM, and strict directions to online platforms to promptly detect, remove and report such content while strengthening safeguards to protect children in the digital ecosystem.
Charges against Meta
Meta owns popular social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The government’s action comes after a BBC report alleged that Meta’s recommendation algorithm had been promoting videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), exposing serious gaps in the safeguards.
Also read: WhatsApp clarifies username guardrails after VIPs flag name snooping: ‘Not true’
The BBC reported that during the investigation, it allegedly found advertisements of this nature appearing on Facebook and Instagram, despite Meta’s advertising policies explicitly prohibiting nudity and sexually explicit content.
Instagram is alleged to have shown paid advertisements with terms such as ‘rape video’ and ‘child video’, which directed users to Telegram channels where such content was reportedly on sale.
Legal ramifications
The IT Act prescribes stringent punishment for publishing or transmitting electronic content depicting children in sexually explicit acts. Section 67B of the IT Act specifically deals with online child sexual abuse material. It criminalises publishing, transmitting, creating, downloading or storing electronic material depicting children in sexually explicit acts, and distributing such illegal content online.
Also read: Govt asks WhatsApp to pause username feature until consultations end
The IT Rules impose due diligence obligations on intermediaries, including social media platforms, and violation can result in loss of safe harbour protection for third-party content hosted on their platform.
The government has, from time to time, also blocked websites containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), based on lists from Interpol received through the Central Bureau of Investigation, India’s national nodal agency for Interpol.
Authorities have repeatedly warned technology companies that any failure to crack down on CSAM and other harmful content could invite regulatory scrutiny and legal action.
Second rap in a week
Meta has come under regulatory glare for the second time this week.
On Wednesday, the Centre issued a notice to Meta questioning the planned username feature on WhatsApp, citing concerns that it could materially increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks.
Also read: WhatsApp’s username feature: How is it different from Telegram and Signal?
It directed the platform to pause the feature until consultations on the issue are completed “to the satisfaction of the Government”.
Sources said that WhatsApp will defer the rollout of the username feature.
(With inputs from agencies)
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