iWorld
MeitY orders Meta to remove Instagram CSEAM ads immediately
Platform given seven days to explain approval of abusive content after BBC probe
NEW DELHI: Looks like the government’s latest scroll through social media ended with a hard stop. The Centre has directed Meta to immediately remove all Instagram advertisements and content that promote or facilitate child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM), intensifying scrutiny of the platform’s content moderation systems.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a notice to Meta on Saturday evening, ordering the company to disable all content and advertisements linked to Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on Instagram without delay.
The ministry has also sought a detailed explanation within seven days, asking Meta to clarify how such advertisements were approved and displayed on the platform despite its existing moderation mechanisms.
The latest action follows directions from Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who asked ministry officials to summon Meta executives after reports surfaced that paid Instagram advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material had been displayed to users in India.
According to government sources, MeitY has asked the company to explain the approval process for the advertisements, outline the safeguards currently used to detect and prevent such content, and detail the corrective measures being implemented to ensure similar incidents do not recur.
The crackdown comes in the wake of a BBC Eye investigation published on 3 July, which alleged that Instagram had carried paid advertisements in India promoting child sexual abuse material.
According to the investigation, the advertisements contained explicit search terms and redirected users to Telegram channels where illegal content was allegedly being sold for as little as Rs 99. The report further claimed that some of the advertisements had been approved through Instagram’s automated content moderation systems.
The notice marks the latest in a series of actions by the government to tighten oversight of digital platforms. Earlier this week, authorities issued notices to Meta-owned WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal, seeking details about their username features and the safeguards in place to prevent fraud, impersonation and other forms of misuse.
Officials are also reviewing WhatsApp’s proposed username rollout, including its verification systems, reporting mechanisms and measures designed to prevent abuse, reflecting the government’s broader push to strengthen accountability across major digital platforms operating in India.
