NCPCR Summons Meta India Chiefs Over Alleged Child Abuse Material Ads On Instagram

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has summoned Meta India's Managing Director and Head of India for questioning over alleged advertisements linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) on its platforms. The child rights body launched an inquiry after taking suo motu cognisance of a BBC Eye report in July. Meta had submitted its response, but NCPCR has now decided to examine the allegations further and determine the facts of the case. NCPCR has asked Meta India's Managing Director and Head of India to appear before the commission on Wednesday as part of its inquiry. The commission had on July 3 taken suo motu cognisance of a BBC Eye report alleging that advertisements linked to CSEAM were appearing on Meta platforms. Meta submitted its response to NCPCR a week later. Officials said the commission subsequently decided to institute an inquiry to establish the facts surrounding the allegations. The move comes amid growing concerns over the alleged availability and promotion of child sexual exploitation material through online platforms. Also Read: Israel Hits Back At UK Settlement Sanctions, Closes British Consulate In Jerusalem In July, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed Instagram to disable advertisements and content promoting or facilitating access to CSEAM. The ministry also sought a detailed explanation from Meta. The action followed IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's direction to MeitY officials to summon Meta over the alleged advertisements.The regulatory action followed a BBC investigation which alleged that Meta's recommendation systems had promoted videos containing child sexual abuse material, raising concerns over the platform's safeguards. The investigation also alleged that advertisements of this nature appeared on Facebook and Instagram despite Meta's policies prohibiting nudity and sexually explicit content. According to the report, Instagram allegedly displayed paid advertisements using terms such as 'rape video' and 'child video'. These reportedly directed users to Telegram channels where such material was allegedly being sold. NCPCR's latest summons is part of its ongoing effort to establish the facts behind the allegations and examine the safeguards in place on Meta's platforms. Also Read: Was Netanyahu Warned About October 7 Plan 10 Days Before Attack? Here's What Report Reveals