The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will summon Meta to seek an explanation over allegations that advertisements on Instagram promoted child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in India, according to government sources on Friday.
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed MeitY officials to issue the summons and seek details from Meta regarding the reported advertisements and the measures the company has taken to prevent and remove such content, a ministry official said.
According to the official, the government will ask Meta to explain how the alleged advertisements appeared on Instagram despite the platform’s existing content moderation systems and safeguards designed to detect and prevent the distribution or promotion of child sexual abuse material.
The move comes amid growing scrutiny of social media platforms over their responsibility to detect, remove and report illegal online content. Child sexual abuse material is prohibited under Indian law, and digital platforms are required to comply with legal obligations under the Information Technology Act and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, including acting against unlawful content when notified.
The government is also expected to seek details of Meta’s internal review of the incident, including the mechanisms used to identify the advertisements, the timeline for their removal, and any additional safeguards introduced to prevent similar cases from recurring.
As of Friday, Meta had not publicly responded to the government’s proposed summons or the allegations. It also remains unclear how many advertisements are under scrutiny or whether any law enforcement investigation has been initiated in connection with the reported content.
The development adds to increasing regulatory pressure on major technology companies operating in India, where authorities have repeatedly stressed that online intermediaries must ensure stronger compliance with child safety laws and content moderation requirements.
The government has not disclosed when Meta executives are expected to appear before MeitY, but officials indicated that the ministry will seek a detailed explanation regarding the incident and the company’s response.
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