Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) has long been circulating on Meta's platforms. The company, led by Mark Zuckerberg, is accused of attempting to downplay the seriousness of the issue and even deliberately weakening safety rules for children.
Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) has long been circulating on Meta's platforms. The company, led by Mark Zuckerberg, is accused of attempting to downplay the seriousness of the issue and even deliberately weakening safety rules for children.
According to the results of a recent BBC investigation, the situation continues to worsen. It was found that Instagram profits from paid advertising that promotes CSAM in India. This revealed significant gaps in Meta's efforts to prevent this problem.
Earlier this year, Meta announced plans to reduce its reliance on third-party human moderators, replacing them with artificial intelligence. However, existing AI systems have proven ineffective in stopping the flow of extremely disturbing content on the company's platforms.
Some repulsive advertisements analyzed by the BBC contained terms such as 'rape video' and 'child video'. These ads led to hidden channels on Telegram where the material could be purchased for as little as $1.
This exposé caused outrage among the country's government bodies. Over the weekend, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notice to Meta, demanding the immediate removal of all advertising and content related to the sale of CSAM. According to the Indian broadcaster DD News, the ministry gave Meta until July 11th to provide a detailed explanation.
When BBC contacted Meta for comment, the company stated that it had disabled a number of advertisements and suspended associated accounts for policy violations. A company representative noted that 'no system is perfect, and our review process may not detect all policy violations. We continue to use proactive detection technologies in advertising after it goes live, and anyone can report advertising they believe violates our rules.'
Telegram told BBC that in 2026, it deleted 'over 274,000 groups and channels related to child sexual abuse material'. Furthermore, Brian Boland, former Vice President of Facebook, stated that Instagram's algorithms were designed to maximize profit. He remarked: 'I think it is sad and tragic that the trade-off between revenue and user experience has become a more central part of the conversation over time.'
Boland testified against Meta during a trial where a jury in New Mexico concluded that the company misled users about the safety of its platforms for children. In March, the jury determined that Meta allowed CSAM to spread across its platforms, effectively turning them into markets for the sexual trafficking of children.
India ranks second globally in the number of CSAM reports to a leading hotline, with 1.9 million reports, trailing only the United States. However, it remains unknown how many such cases go unnoticed.
After receiving a notification from the government, Meta announced on Tuesday the implementation of a new set of measures aimed at combating child exploitation across all its platforms. These steps were taken amid pressure from the Indian government, which had previously commented on advertisements on Instagram containing alleged material of child sexual abuse.
In its blog, Meta reported that even before public disclosure of the issue, the company had already detected and disabled several violating ads and accounts. Subsequent investigations led to the removal of additional advertising materials, the blocking of more accounts, and the banning of URLs associated with policy-violating content.
Meta uses advanced artificial intelligence tools to identify accounts that spread suspicious links off-platform, as well as other signs related to child exploitation. The company specified that in India alone, 160,000 accounts were removed in the last six months thanks to these measures.
The company rejected claims that its advertising systems intentionally targeted users with inappropriate interests in children. Meta stated that its technologies are capable of recognizing suspicious behavior, and last year it removed over four million accounts worldwide due to potentially suspicious activity related to children.
To verify ads and monitor advertiser behavior, the company combines automated systems with manual review. Businesses that violate Meta's community or advertising standards may face restrictions or complete ad bans on Meta platforms.
Furthermore, Meta highlighted its investments in developing artificial intelligence to improve content moderation. The company's AI systems now support moderation in languages used by 98% of internet users. The company reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with law enforcement agencies and industry partners, continuing to invest in new technologies, intelligence sharing, and strengthening online child protection measures.
The Indian government has sent an official notification to Meta regarding content related to Child Sexual Abuse Material and Exploitation (CSEAM) being placed in paid advertisements on Instagram. The Ministry demanded a detailed response within seven days.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) instructed Instagram to immediately remove or block all advertising materials and content that promotes or facilitates access to CSEAM.
Instagram is highly popular among youth both in India and globally. Users spend significant time on the platform, particularly using the Reels feature. Companies actively use Instagram to promote brands and enhance their presence through advertising.
Issues with Meta persist. Previously, the company also received a notification concerning the username reservation feature on WhatsApp. Meta launched this feature in India in a test mode to respond to a request for explanations. The Indian government was concerned that the username feature on WhatsApp could be exploited by cybercriminals. Nevertheless, the company stated that it is not yet implementing this feature, planning its launch by the end of the year.
The central authorities issued a stern warning to Meta, demanding the immediate cessation of advertisements linked to content concerning child abuse.
Manash Pratim Gohain is an experienced journalist with over twenty years of experience at The Times of India. Throughout his career, he has created an extensive body of work covering topics such as education policy, political processes, and public administration.
Gohain is known for his in-depth coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and professional development programs. Additionally, he has covered student politics, urban planning, and social movements. His political journalism, which combines an analytical approach with news reporting, helps connect policy changes with their societal impact.
