Instagram runs child sexual abuse ads in India, BBC finds:IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw orders MeitY to seek details from tech giant

The Central government is set to summon Meta, the parent company of Instagram, after a BBC investigation alleged that the platform displayed paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in India. The government is now seeking an explanation from the company over the serious allegations. Government orders action According to government sources, Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to summon Meta representatives. The ministry will ask the company to explain how such advertisements were allowed to appear on Instagram and what steps are being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. What did the BBC investigation reveal? What will MeitY ask Meta? Sources said MeitY will seek detailed answers from Meta on several issues, including: February 25: The government blocked five OTT platforms for showing obscene content. Previously, the government blocked five online streaming (OTT) platforms for displaying obscene and objectionable content. The platforms that were targeted include MoodXVIP, Cuckoo PlayPro, Digi Movieplex, Feel, and Jugnoo.
Why is the issue serious? Child sexual abuse material is illegal in India and most countries around the world. Online platforms are expected to detect, remove, and report such content quickly. The allegations have raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of content moderation and advertisement review systems on large social media platforms. The government’s move to summon Meta signals that authorities are treating the matter seriously and expect a detailed explanation from the company regarding the allegations made in the BBC investigation.