India Orders Immediate Removal of Child Sexual Abuse Ads on Instagram

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

New Delhi: The Indian government has ordered Meta to remove all Instagram commercials and content promoting or facilitating accessibility to child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM), following reports that such ads appeared on the platform.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) sent out a notice seeking a detailed explanation from Meta within seven days. Authorities issued a warning that disobedience could result in legal action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act.

The action comes after a BBC investigation revealed that Instagram accepted paid adverts including terms related to child sexual abuse material, sending users to external sites where such stuff was allegedly available. The government has also enquired as to how the advertising were allowed and what precautions Meta will use to prevent such situations.

Meta asserted that it has a zero-tolerance policy for child sexual abuse material, including adverts, and that it detects and eliminates such content using AI and dedicated safety teams while constantly upgrading its enforcement systems.