Meta has agreed to report child safety-related cases to law enforcement agencies in India as the government steps up scrutiny of social media platforms over harmful content involving children. The move follows investigations into alleged child sexual exploitation material promoted through Meta-owned platforms and growing pressure on intermediaries to strengthen safeguards.
Meta has agreed to report cases involving child safety to law enforcement agencies in India, according to people familiar with the matter, as the government intensifies its scrutiny of social media platforms over harmful content involving children.
The move comes amid a wider push by the Centre to make platforms more accountable for content that poses risks to children. Officials have described child safety as a basic requirement for social media companies operating in the country and indicated that platforms could face action if they fail to take adequate preventive measures.
Moreover, the government is also engaging with other major platforms to assess how they identify, remove and report harmful material.
The latest development follows a series of investigations into allegations concerning Meta’s platforms. On September 9, representatives of Meta India appeared before the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which is examining claims involving advertisements linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse material.
The commission began looking into the issue after taking note of a BBC Eye investigation that alleged such advertisements were appearing on Meta-owned services. NCPCR had first sought an explanation from Meta in July, with the company submitting its response the following week. The commission subsequently decided to conduct a more detailed inquiry and called in Meta India’s managing director and head of operations to provide further information.
The company was expected to address the allegations and explain the steps it had taken in response. The NCPCR’s investigation remains part of a wider effort to establish how such material could have been promoted or circulated on the platform.
The government’s focus now extends beyond removing individual pieces of harmful content. Officials are assessing whether platforms have systems in place to proactively identify risks, report suspected offences and prevent such material from resurfacing.
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