A smartphone and a computer screen displaying the logos of the Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and their parent company Meta. (AFP)
New Delhi: Meta Inc., the company that runs Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp–three of the most used social media platforms in the world–has agreed to report child sexual abuse and other child safety-related cases to the appropriate law enforcement agencies following the Indian government’s engagement with the global tech giant to curb harmful content.
This is a key step in curbing Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) in India. According to National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, CSEAM refers to material containing sexual images in any form of a child who is abused or sexually exploited. Section 67 (B) of the IT Act states that it is punishable to publish or transmit material depicting children in sexually explicit act in electronic form.
Sources in the government said on Tuesday that online safety of children is a “fundamental principle” and absolutely “non-negotiable” for any social media platform operating in India.
Reiterating its tough stance on social media companies’ responsibility to protect minors from such harmful activities, sources said the government will take tough action against platforms that fail to take proactive steps to ensure children’s safety online.
Meta’s decision to report child safety-related matters to law enforcement agencies marks an initial step towards strengthening safeguards for children on digital platforms, sources said.
They, however, made it clear that it was a first step towards making the social media platforms safe for children and much more needs to be done. “The government remains engaged with other platforms to proactively identify and remove such content,” sources added.
The development comes as the government in the recent past has increased scrutiny of social media platforms over harmful and illegal online content, including child sexual abuse material and deepfakes.
It had also issued a notice to Meta over its handling of such content and recently summoned the social media giant’s global executives to India, as the Centre pressed all platforms for faster takedowns of harmful content, stronger safeguards and greater accountability, clearly warning them that failure to comply with Indian law will not be tolerated.
Earlier this month, representatives of Meta India arrived at the office of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) after the child rights body had summoned the company’s Managing Director and Head of Meta India in connection with an inquiry into alleged advertisements related to CSEAM.
The NCPCR had taken suo motu cognisance of a media report regarding alleged advertisements on Meta-owned platforms and issued a notice to Meta Platforms, Inc. on July 3, 2026, seeking an explanation over the allegations. Meta submitted its response to the Commission a week after the notice was issued.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had earlier directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive probe into allegations that paid advertisements on Meta-owned Instagram promoted Child Sexual Abuse Material in India.
The NHRC also directed the police to examine whether the technology company and other concerned entities complied with mandatory reporting obligations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
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