Child protection panel launches inquiry into Meta over alleged child sexual abuse material ads

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has decided to institute an inquiry into allegations that advertisements related to Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) appeared on Meta-owned platforms, government sources said on Tuesday.The move comes after the child rights body took suo motu cognisance of a BBC Eye report last month alleging that advertisements on Instagram promoted child sexual abuse material.NCPCR had issued a notice to Meta Platforms Inc. on July 3 seeking an explanation, to which the company responded a week later.Initiates formal inquiryFollowing an examination of Meta's reply, the Commission has now decided to initiate a formal inquiry "to determine the facts of the matter", sources said.Separately, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive probe into the allegations and examine whether Meta and other entities complied with mandatory reporting obligations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.The NHRC took cognisance of the BBC World Service report, which alleged that paid advertisements on Instagram used specific keywords and redirected users to channels where child sexual abuse material was allegedly being offered for sale.In a letter dated July 8, the Commission asked the Delhi Police Commissioner to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR). It later sent a reminder on July 29, seeking submission of the pending report.Earlier today, IT Secretary S Krishnan said that the Centre will raise a range of concerns with Meta's global team during its meeting in India on August 5 and 6, including the platform's handling of Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM), the temporary restriction of prominent verified accounts, and the spread of AI-generated content.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.