New Delhi : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised concerns over reported financial ties between social media giant Meta and UNICEF, questioning whether such associations could create a potential conflict of interest amid serious allegations involving the monetisation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on Meta-owned platforms.
NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo has written to Union Women and Child Development Ministry Secretary Anil Malik, forwarding a complaint submitted by the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO).
The representation points to financial contributions made by Meta to UNICEF and other organisations, as well as their joint initiatives involving child-rights groups and digital safety programmes.
The intervention comes amid reports alleging that CSAM-related activities, including paid transactions involving sexually exploitative material depicting children, have taken place on Meta platforms. These allegations are reportedly being examined by law-enforcement agencies.
Kanoongo has expressed concern that financial support from Meta to organisations involved in child-protection advocacy could potentially raise questions about institutional independence and credibility.
The NHRC member has urged the Women and Child Development Ministry to conduct a detailed examination of the matter and take appropriate action to safeguard children’s rights.
Copies of the communication have also been sent to senior officials, including Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, I4C CEO Rajesh Kumar, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
The development puts the spotlight on the accountability of major technology companies and the effectiveness of child-protection safeguards in the digital space.
