Government to Question Meta Over Instagram Child Abuse Ads

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has decided to summon Meta for serious questions regarding advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material that have appeared on Instagram. The government wants a detailed explanation about how such harmful content breached the platform's safeguards.

According to sources, MeitY will seek comprehensive responses from Meta leadership about the incidents and the specific measures the company has implemented to prevent such illegal content from reaching users. The government is particularly focused on understanding the platform's moderation systems and why they failed to block these advertisements.

This action reflects growing concerns about child safety on social media platforms operating in India. Advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material represent one of the most serious violations of content policies and Indian law. Platforms are expected to maintain robust systems to detect and remove such content immediately.

The summons signals the government's commitment to protecting children from exploitation and abuse online. Meta faces increasing scrutiny in India over content moderation failures across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. The company operates in a complex regulatory environment where multiple agencies monitor compliance with Indian laws.

This development comes as the government continues strengthening oversight of big tech companies operating in the country. Authorities have previously taken action against platforms failing to implement adequate safety measures. Meta's response to the summons and the steps it commits to taking will likely influence future regulatory actions against the company.

Source: Hindustan Times