The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed officials to engage with Meta and seek a formal response after reports claimed that certain paid Instagram advertisements contained objectionable keywords and links allegedly connected to networks distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

Government sources said the ministry has ordered the removal of all identified advertisements and related content while asking the company to provide a detailed explanation within seven days.

The focus of the government's inquiry is not only the content itself but also the systems that allowed the advertisements to be approved and displayed. Officials are expected to examine whether Meta's advertising and moderation mechanisms were effective in preventing material linked to child exploitation from reaching users.

The development comes amid growing global concerns over the misuse of digital platforms by criminal networks. Because the content in question allegedly appeared as paid promotions, authorities are seeking clarity on the checks that were applied before the advertisements were published.

Meta, earlier responding to the allegations, said it has a zero-tolerance policy towards child sexual exploitation and abuse. The company stated that it removed the advertisements, disabled the associated accounts and blocked the linked URLs after the issue was brought to its attention.

The case has also renewed attention on the legal responsibilities of social media intermediaries operating in India. Under Indian law, the publication, transmission or facilitation of sexually explicit material involving children is a criminal offence. Section 67B of the Information Technology Act specifically prohibits electronic content depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of minors.

Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) includes images, videos or other digital content that portrays the sexual abuse or exploitation of children. Indian authorities and cybercrime agencies treat the circulation of such material as a serious offence.

With ANI inputs