Meta to Report Child Abuse Cases as Centre Tightens Platform Scrutiny
Meta has agreed to report child sexual abuse cases to Indian law enforcement, as the Centre presses platforms on child safety and two rights bodies probe CSEAM ads.
Meta has agreed to flag all child sexual abuse cases to law enforcement agencies in India, a move that comes as the Centre intensifies scrutiny of social media platforms over the safety of young users.
Officials described child online safety as a fundamental requirement for any platform operating in the country and said the obligation is not open to negotiation. The government, they added, remains in continuous engagement with platforms to trace and take down harmful content.
According to people familiar with the matter, Meta's commitment to report child safety matters to the authorities is an initial step, and considerably more is expected of the company. The Centre has signalled that platforms failing to act proactively on child safety will face action.
The push is part of a wider effort to make digital intermediaries more accountable and to stop the spread of content that endangers children.
The issue gained urgency after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) took cognisance of a report that alleged advertisements linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) were appearing on Meta-owned platforms. The commission issued a notice in July seeking an explanation, and Meta filed its response a week later.
Satisfied that a probe was needed to establish the facts, the NCPCR summoned Meta India's managing director and country head to appear on September 9. Officials were expected to furnish further details on the allegations and the company's formal position.
Separately, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Delhi Police to carry out a comprehensive investigation into claims that paid advertisements on Instagram promoted CSEAM in India. The commission asked the police to examine whether Meta and similar platforms had met their mandatory reporting duties under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The developments underline the growing regulatory focus on how platforms detect, report and remove content that harms children, and on the legal obligations that bind them in India.