Government Orders Meta to Disable CSEAM Ads on Instagram
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a stern notice to Meta, the parent company of Instagram, demanding the immediate removal of all advertisements and content that promote or facilitate access to Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM). Sources confirmed the notice was sent on Saturday evening, with the ministry ordering Instagram to disable such ads entirely.
The action follows a directive from IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday, who instructed MeitY officials to summon Meta over allegations that Instagram had been running paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material. The ministry has now demanded a detailed explanation from Meta within seven days, including information on corrective actions taken.
BBC Investigation Reveals Gaps in Safeguards
The government's move comes in the wake of a BBC investigation that alleged Meta's recommendation algorithm had been promoting videos containing child sexual abuse material. The investigation reportedly found advertisements with terms like 'rape video' and 'child video' appearing on both Facebook and Instagram, directing users to Telegram channels where such content was sold. This exposes serious gaps in Meta's safeguards, despite its advertising policies explicitly prohibiting nudity and sexually explicit content.
According to a person privy to the development, the government is expected to seek answers on how such advertisements were approved, what corrective measures Meta has taken since the allegations surfaced, and what safeguards it plans to implement to prevent future incidents.
Meta Cannot Hide Behind Intermediary Status
Sources emphasized that Meta, as an intermediary, cannot use the 'third-party content' defense if allegations involve paid ads promoting CSEAM. “If the allegations are found to be true, they will be held accountable for the advertisements, for which the platform receives revenue,” one source stated. The government maintains a zero-tolerance approach towards CSEAM, requiring online platforms to promptly detect, remove, and report such content while strengthening protections for children in the digital ecosystem.
While MeitY will review technical and regulatory aspects, any agency, authority, or individual may file a complaint against the advertiser or platform if they believe offences under the law have been committed. The government has also blocked websites containing CSAM based on Interpol lists received through the Central Bureau of Investigation, India's national nodal agency for Interpol.
Meta Under Regulatory Scrutiny This Week
This is the second time this week Meta has faced regulatory action from the Indian government. On Wednesday, the Centre issued a notice questioning Meta's planned username feature on WhatsApp, citing concerns that it could increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks. The government directed the platform to pause the feature until consultations are completed to its satisfaction. Sources said WhatsApp will defer the rollout of the username feature.
A team from Meta met officials in the IT Ministry following the notice. Given the three-day timeline for furnishing a detailed explanation on the 'usernames' feature, Meta will submit its final reply as scheduled. The government had asked Meta to explain why action shouldn't be initiated under the IT Act and rules, reminding the company that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is bound by due diligence obligations under the IT Act.
