Meta's Major Move: Will cases involving the sexual exploitation of children now reach agencies? Find out what the new decision entails..

Following discussions between the central government and social media giants regarding online child safety, the tech company Meta has made a significant decision. Meta will now directly report information concerning Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) and cases related to child abuse on its platforms to the relevant law enforcement agencies.

The government maintains that online child safety must be a priority for social media platforms operating in India and that there can be no compromise on this matter. The government has also clarified that action may be taken against platforms that fail to proactively implement necessary measures for child safety.

What is Meta's major decision?
After talks with the government, Meta has agreed to report cases involving the sexual exploitation of children to security agencies. Meta will cooperate in conveying information about such cases to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, aiming to assist them in investigations and subsequent actions.

Meta has previously stated that whenever it receives information regarding activities involving child exploitation, it reports the matter to local law enforcement agencies in accordance with applicable laws. In July, the company noted that in India, such cases are reported via the NCMEC to the National Cyber ​​Crime Reporting Portal, in compliance with the POCSO Act and related regulations.

This new move, emerging from the dialogue between the government and Meta, is significant as the government is increasing pressure on social media companies regarding accountability and the identification and prevention of content that harms children.

Discussions with other social media platforms
The government’s efforts are not limited to Meta alone; discussions regarding harmful content affecting children are also underway with other social media platforms. Platforms are being urged to strengthen their internal technical and moderation systems to effectively identify and remove such content.

The government is emphasizing the need to enhance the accountability of digital platforms and curb the spread of content that impacts children. Recent discussions between the government and Meta have also addressed the presence of content such as CSEAM on the platform and the measures being taken to prevent it.

NCPCR Probe Against Meta Was Underway
Meta's decision comes at a time when the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is also investigating a matter involving the company. Senior officials from Meta India appeared before the NCPCR on September 9. The Commission had summoned Meta India officials regarding alleged advertisements on Instagram linked to Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM).

The NCPCR had taken *suo motu* cognizance of a report on July 3, 2026, which mentioned alleged advertisements related to CSEAM on Meta's platforms. Subsequently, the Commission sought a response from Meta Platforms Inc., and the company submitted its reply about a week later. Following this, the NCPCR initiated a formal inquiry to examine the facts of the case and summoned senior Meta India officials to present their side.

How Did the Matter Begin?
The entire issue originated from alleged advertisements on Instagram linked to child sexual exploitation. According to reports, some advertisements used terms pointing towards child sexual exploitation material and attempted to direct users to alleged illegal content hosted on other platforms.

It is worth noting that in July, Meta stated it had taken such matters seriously; following its own investigation, the company took action to remove additional advertisements, shut down related accounts, and block URLs associated with the violations. The company also stated that, over the preceding six months in India, it had removed 160,000 accounts for violations related to child exploitation.

NHRC Has Also Taken Action
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also taken action in this matter. The NHRC directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into allegations that content related to child sexual exploitation was being promoted in India through paid advertisements on Instagram. The Commission had also asked the police to verify whether Meta and other relevant parties had complied with the reporting obligations mandated under the POCSO Act.

Meta already claims to remove such content.
Meta states that it employs technical systems to identify and remove content related to child exploitation from its platforms.

According to the company, 13 million pieces of content related to the sexual exploitation of children were removed from Facebook and Instagram between October and December 2025. Meta stated that it had identified over 96 percent of this content before receiving any user reports. The company further added that, in such cases, it reports the matter to local law enforcement agencies in accordance with the law.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we modified it for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.