Indian Government to Question Meta Over Child Abuse Ads on Instagram
Officials are expected to question Meta on the mechanisms it uses to monitor and block such material and the steps being taken to strengthen content moderation systems
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Published: Jul 7, 2026 12:00 PM | 1 min read
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- Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed the ministry to summon Meta representatives regarding allegations of Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material.
- The government seeks a detailed explanation from Meta on how such advertisements were allowed and the safeguards in place to prevent similar content.
- Officials will inquire about Meta's monitoring mechanisms and content moderation systems in response to a BBC report highlighting disturbing ads on Instagram.
- A Meta spokesperson emphasized the company's zero tolerance for child sexual abuse material and mentioned the use of advanced AI to identify and remove violating content.
Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has reportedly instructed the ministry to call in representatives of Meta over allegations that Instagram was used to circulate advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material.
As per media reports, the government will seek a detailed response from the tech company—parent of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp—on how such ads were permitted on its platform and what safeguards are in place to prevent similar content from appearing.
Officials are expected to question Meta on the mechanisms it uses to monitor and block such material and the steps being taken to strengthen content moderation systems.
The move follows a BBC investigative report claiming that Instagram had carried ads in India promoting child sexual abuse content. The report said the ads carried disturbing captions such as “rape video” and “child video,” and redirected users to Telegram channels where illegal material was allegedly being offered for as little as ₹99.
Responding to the development, a Meta spokesperson, as quoted in reports, reiterated that the company maintains a strict “zero tolerance” stance toward child sexual abuse material. The spokesperson also said the platform relies on advanced artificial intelligence systems to proactively identify and remove violating content, while noting that bad actors continuously attempt to evade detection across its vast global user base.
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