The Indian government has ordered Meta to immediately remove advertisements and content on Instagram that promote or facilitate child sexual abuse material (CSAM), following reports that such content appeared on the social media platform.
A senior official from India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said the government had issued a formal notice directing Instagram to disable all advertisements and content linked to child sexual exploitation. The ministry has also asked Meta to explain within seven days how such advertisements were allowed to appear on its platform.
According to the official, the government has taken a firm position on the matter and expects the company to outline the steps it is taking to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The action comes after a BBC Eye investigation reported that Instagram displayed paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material in India. Some of those advertisements allegedly directed users to Telegram channels where the illegal material was being offered for sale.
Responding to the government’s notice, Meta said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward child sexual abuse material and continues to strengthen its systems to detect and remove harmful content.
A company spokesperson said Meta uses advanced artificial intelligence tools to identify policy violations before they spread but acknowledged that criminals continually attempt to evade detection across its platforms, which serve billions of users worldwide.
The spokesperson rejected suggestions that the company intentionally targeted users with such content or placed commercial interests ahead of user safety. Meta described child exploitation as a serious crime and said it actively works to combat it across its services.
The government notice was issued days after the BBC investigation was published, although neither Indian authorities nor Meta confirmed whether the action was taken directly in response to the report.
As part of its investigation, BBC Eye created a new Instagram account in India. After following several accounts featuring sexually suggestive content, the test account reportedly began receiving paid advertisements containing adult pornography. Within days, it was also shown advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material, with some linking to Telegram channels.
Telegram also responded to the findings, stating that it had removed more than 274,000 groups and channels associated with child sexual abuse material during 2026. The company said it continues to strengthen its moderation efforts to prevent the spread of illegal content.
The latest action by Indian authorities reflects increasing scrutiny of technology companies over online child safety and the effectiveness of their content moderation systems. Regulators are demanding greater accountability from digital platforms as governments worldwide intensify efforts to combat online exploitation and ensure stronger protections for children.
