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New Delhi : In a major move to strengthen online child safety, the Centre has directed Meta to immediately remove Instagram advertisements and content allegedly linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM). The action comes after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a formal notice to the tech giant, signalling the government’s zero-tolerance approach towards illegal and harmful content on digital platforms.
According to the notice, Meta has been instructed to disable all advertisements and content on Instagram that allegedly promote or facilitate access to child sexual exploitation and abuse material without any delay. The ministry stressed that such content poses a grave threat to children’s safety and must be taken down immediately to ensure a secure digital environment for users.
Apart from ordering the immediate removal of the content, the Centre has also sought a detailed explanation from Meta. The company has been given seven days to submit its response, outlining how the alleged advertisements appeared on the platform, the safeguards currently in place, and the additional measures it intends to implement to prevent such incidents from recurring.
The government’s action reflects its growing emphasis on holding social media platforms accountable for content moderation and compliance with Indian laws. Authorities have repeatedly maintained that technology companies must actively detect, remove and prevent the circulation of child sexual exploitation and abuse material while ensuring that their platforms are not misused for criminal activities.
The latest notice also reinforces India’s broader commitment to making the internet safer for children by tightening oversight of digital platforms and ensuring stricter enforcement against unlawful online content.
As of now, Meta has not publicly responded to the notice. The company is expected to submit its clarification to the Ministry within the stipulated seven-day deadline, after which further action, if necessary, may be considered by the government.
