Tech company Meta has agreed to provide information on child sexual abuse and other child protection issues to relevant law enforcement agencies, government sources said on Tuesday. This agreement was reached during ongoing discussions between the central government and Meta regarding curbing harmful content on online platforms. Government sources stated that online safety of children is essential for any social media platform operating in India. There can be no compromise on this issue. The government has also made it clear that action will be taken against platforms that do not take necessary steps on their own to protect children. According to sources, Meta’s decision is a first step toward keeping children safe online. More work is still needed in this direction. Talks are ongoing with other social media platforms The government is also engaging with other social media platforms and online intermediaries to identify and remove harmful content related to children. Meta officials were summoned by the Child Protection Commission On September 9, representatives from Meta India visited the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) office. The commission summoned the company’s managing director and the head of Meta India as part of an investigation into alleged advertisements containing Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM). On July 3, 2026, the NCPCR took suo motu cognizance of a BBC media report. The report alleged advertisements related to CSEAM on platforms owned by Meta. The Commission subsequently issued a notice to Meta Platforms, Inc., seeking a response to these allegations. Meta submitted its response to the Commission a week after the notice. BBC report: Sexual abuse content available cheaply on Meta Instagram accused of promoting child sexual abuse content Earlier, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into allegations that paid advertisements on Meta-owned Instagram promoted child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in India. The NHRC had also directed the police to investigate whether the tech company and other stakeholders had complied with the mandatory reporting obligations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Bhaskar Knowledge: Creating and possessing material related to child sexual abuse is a crime in India.
Question 1: What are the laws in India regarding child sexual abuse material? Answer: It is a crime to create, possess, view, share, sell, or disseminate material that involves child sexual abuse.
Question 2: What is the punishment under Section 67B of the IT Act? Answer: Up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh for a first conviction. Up to 7 years in prison and a fine for a second conviction. Question 3: What is the responsibility of social media companies? Answer: India’s IT Act, 2021 requires social media platforms to take prompt action to remove illegal content, cooperate with investigative agencies, and implement appropriate technical measures to identify and prevent content that involves the sexual exploitation of children. Question 4: What to do if you see such content? Answer: Do not download, share, or forward it. Report it immediately to the relevant platform. File a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Portal. If necessary, inform your local police or cyber cell. Question 5: What can the government do in this matter?
Answer: It can seek answers from social media companies. It can order the removal of content from platforms. It can initiate criminal investigations through investigative agencies. It can take action under IT laws for violations. Question 6: Is the platform alone responsible? Answer: No. Anyone who uploads, buys, sells, shares, or knowingly disseminates such content is also subject to criminal prosecution under Indian law.
The post appeared first on .
