Meta agrees to report child sexual abuse cases amid India crackdown

Facebook parent Meta has agreed to report cases involving child sexual abuse to law enforcement agencies, amid the Centre's growing crackdown on social media platforms over the safety of children online, sources said.

The government has made it clear that protecting children online is a basic requirement for social media platforms operating in India and is not open to negotiation, officials said.

"Online safety of children is a fundamental principle for any social media firm to operate in India and it's non-negotiable," officials said, adding that the government is in continuous engagement with social media platforms to curb the circulation of harmful content.

As a first step towards strengthening child safety on social media, Meta has agreed to report all child safety-related matters to law enforcement agencies, sources said. However, officials indicated that more measures would be required to ensure that children are adequately protected from exploitation and abuse online.

The Centre is also holding discussions with other social media platforms to ensure that harmful content is identified and removed promptly. Platforms that fail to take proactive measures to protect children could face action, sources said.

The development comes as the government intensifies efforts to make digital platforms more accountable and ensure that online intermediaries fulfil their responsibilities to prevent the spread of harmful content, particularly material involving children.

The issue gained urgency after representatives of Meta India were summoned by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on September 9 over an investigation into alleged advertisements related to child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM).

The NCPCR had taken suo motu cognisance of a report by 'BBC Eye' that alleged the presence of advertisements promoting CSEAM on Meta-owned platforms. The child rights body had issued a notice to Meta in July seeking an explanation over the allegations.

Meta submitted its response to the commission a week later. The NCPCR subsequently decided to launch an inquiry to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegations and summoned Meta India's Managing Director and head to appear before it on September 9.

The company representatives were expected to provide further information on the allegations and explain the steps taken by Meta in response to the concerns raised by the commission.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also sought a comprehensive probe by the Delhi Police into allegations that paid advertisements on Meta-owned Instagram promoted CSEAM in India.

The NHRC directed the police to examine whether Meta and other similar platforms were complying with mandatory reporting requirements under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The government action signals a sharper focus on the responsibility of social media companies to prevent children from being exposed to sexual exploitation online, with authorities making it clear that platforms will be expected to act proactively rather than respond only after harmful material has surfaced.