Meta commits to reporting child abuse content amid Centre's crackdown

Meta has agreed to report child safety-related matters, including cases involving child sexual abuse, to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, government officials said on Tuesday.

The government said it has been engaging with social media platforms to curb harmful information and strengthen the safety of children online. Meta has sent a letter to MeitY confirming this, a ministry official told HT.

Govt calls Meta move a first step

The government said online safety of children was a fundamental principle for any social media platform operating in India and was “non-negotiable”.

It described Meta’s decision to report child safety-related matters to law enforcement agencies as a “first step” towards making social media platforms safer for children. However, it said much more needs to be done.

Other platforms also under watch

The government said it remains engaged with other social media platforms to ensure harmful content involving children is proactively identified and removed.

It also warned that action will be taken against platforms that fail to take proactive steps to protect children and ensure their online safety.

Meta faces scrutiny over child abuse material

The statement comes amid growing scrutiny of Meta over child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) allegedly appearing in Instagram advertisements.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) earlier summoned Meta India executives as part of its inquiry into the issue. This followed reports that Instagram ads were being used to promote access to such material.

A Tech Transparency Project investigation published this month said it found more than 300 Meta ads containing child sexual abuse material. Some included AI-manipulated images involving real children. Meta removed a large number of the ads after the findings were brought to its attention.

Meta’s child safety measures

Meta has said it uses AI-powered systems, hash matching and other tools to detect child exploitation and remove violating content.

In July, the company said it had removed about four million accounts and 36 million pieces of content linked to child exploitation globally during the first half of 2026. It said around 1.6 lakh accounts in India were disabled during the same period for violating its child-safety policies.

The government has said platforms must continue to strengthen these safeguards and take proactive steps to protect children online. It warned that action could be taken against platforms that fail to do so.

Meta-Kerala CM video row

Separately, Meta restricted access in India on Monday to a viral AI-generated video showing Kerala chief minister V D Satheesan dancing with KSEB officials.

The creators said Meta cited a government notice, while the video remained accessible outside India, PTI reported. The video had crossed 1.78 crore views before the restriction.

Satheesan had praised the video even though it was partly intended to mock him. He later said AI-generated content could raise legal concerns.

The creator said he did not believe Satheesan’s office had sought the removal. Meta had earlier removed videos critical of Satheesan and the Kerala government, but later attributed those removals to “technical reasons”.