The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to Meta and the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of eight states over the alleged circulation of child sexual abuse-related content in Instagram advertisements.
The Commission expressed concern that some of the content could violate the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. It has asked Meta and the police to explain the steps being taken to identify, remove and investigate such content.
NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said that if the material is confirmed to be Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), a case will be registered against Meta. He also warned that action could be recommended against police officials if they fail to investigate the issue properly.
The development comes shortly after the Central Government raised concerns with Meta over issues such as the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video, deepfake content and online child safety.
Meanwhile, a Meta delegation led by Joel Kaplan, the company’s Head of Global Affairs, met Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi. During the meeting, Meta said it was taking strict measures to tackle deepfakes, child sexual abuse content and fake bot accounts, and assured the government that it would continue strengthening its safety systems.
