NCPCR Summons Meta India Chief Over Instagram CSAM Ad Allegations

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has launched a formal inquiry into allegations that Instagram advertisements facilitated the sale of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The regulator is examining whether Meta failed to effectively monitor its advertising approval system and adequately respond to complaints after the advertisements were published. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of how major social media platforms review paid content and enforce child safety standards. Commission calls Meta officials for hearing According to reports published by several Indian news organisations on September 8, the NCPCR has summoned senior Meta India representatives to appear before the commission on September 9. The summons follows a BBC Eye investigation that allegedly identified paid Instagram advertisements containing explicit or coded language linked to child sexual abuse material. The findings were subsequently reported by media outlets, including the Free Press Journal, NDTV, and Business Standard. The commission had first issued a notice to Meta on July 3 seeking an explanation over the allegations. Meta submitted a written response about a week later. However, the NCPCR reportedly found the response inadequate in addressing concerns related to child safety and platform safeguards. The inquiry remains a regulatory proceeding and does not amount to a judicial finding of wrongdoing. Instead, investigators are assessing how the advertisements were approved and whether appropriate action was taken after complaints were raised. Allegations focus on Instagram ad approvals According to the reported investigation, users who interacted with certain Instagram advertisements were redirected to Telegram channels where illegal material was allegedly being offered for sale for prices starting at ₹99. Some advertisements reportedly remained online even after users flagged them. In certain instances, Instagram is said to have informed complainants that the reported content did not violate its existing community standards. Investigators are now expected to examine several stages of Meta's moderation process, including advertiser verification, pre-publication review of paid advertisements, automated detection systems, human moderation and the handling of post-publication complaints. Meta outlines enforcement actions Meta said in July that it had removed the violating advertisements, disabled the accounts involved and blocked the associated URLs after the issue was brought to its attention. The company also stated that it removed around 160,000 India-linked accounts in 2025 for suspicious off-platform activity. Globally, Meta said it removed approximately four million suspicious accounts and 36 million pieces of child exploitation content. Those figures represent enforcement claims made by the company. However, publicly available information does not indicate how many advertisements were originally submitted, what percentage received approval or whether any revenue was generated before the advertisements were removed. Apart from the NCPCR inquiry, the National Human Rights Commission has also asked the Delhi Police to examine the allegations, including possible violations of mandatory reporting obligations. According to reports by The Indian Express, Delhi Police issued a notice on July 8 and later sent a reminder on July 29 as part of its investigation. Inquiry expected to examine digital evidence A central part of the investigation is expected to be a detailed audit of the disputed advertisements. Officials are likely to seek records showing when each advertisement was submitted, approved and ultimately removed. Investigators may also request account histories, payment details and IP logs to determine how widely the content was distributed and identify those responsible. Another important question is whether recommendation algorithms increased the visibility of the advertisements after they were approved. India's Information Technology Rules require social media intermediaries to follow due diligence obligations designed to improve user safety. If regulators conclude that these obligations were not adequately met, the findings could influence future oversight of paid advertising and third-party advertiser verification across digital platforms. Hearing on September 9 The September 9 hearing is expected to test whether Meta can provide detailed records, including raw logs and case-specific documentation, rather than relying solely on aggregate enforcement statistics. While the NCPCR is examining regulatory compliance, the Delhi Police continues to lead the criminal investigation. The commission does not have the authority to replace law enforcement proceedings. The outcome of the inquiry may ultimately depend on whether investigators can establish a complete chain of evidence spanning Meta, Telegram and the financial channels allegedly used in the transactions.