Instagram's advertising network has been accused of promoting accounts and websites that promote child sexual abuse content.

The central government has taken a tough stand against pornographic content on Instagram. Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to summon Meta in connection with the alleged Instagram advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material in India.

The government will ask these questions

According to sources, the ministry will ask Meta how and why such ads appeared, what measures have been taken to stop them, and what steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future. The government is concerned about the online safety of children and the platform's accountability. Meta has not yet responded.

Serious questions have once again arisen regarding the safety of children on social media platforms. Instagram's advertising network has been accused of promoting accounts and websites promoting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The Ministry of Information Technology (IT) will soon seek answers from its parent company, Meta, regarding this sensitive matter. The government states that children's online safety cannot be compromised and that negligence in such matters will not be tolerated.

What is the whole matter?

This matter came to light after media reports, in which an investigation claimed that some paid advertisements were running on Instagram that promoted child sexual abuse material. These advertisements were redirecting users to Telegram channels where this illegal material was allegedly being sold for as little as 99 rupees. Most seriously, Instagram's advertising system only displays these advertisements after approval.

What does the law say?

In India, the creation, transmission, promotion, or distribution of material depicting child sexual abuse is a serious offense. Sections 67 and 67B of the Information Technology Act provide for strict action in such cases. Furthermore, under the IT Rules 2021, major social media platforms are responsible for timely removal of such illegal content. Action can also be taken against offenders under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

How serious is the matter?

India already faces a serious challenge regarding the safety of children online. According to available data, approximately 1.9 million CyberTipline complaints related to child sexual exploitation were filed in India in 2025, ranking second only to the United States.

Now what?

All eyes are now on META's response to the government's questions and the improvements the company announces to its ad review system. The central government has been taking a stricter stance on objectionable content on online platforms in recent months. Previously, several OTT platforms have been prosecuted for allegedly posting obscene and offensive content.

Recently, the government also questioned META regarding WhatsApp's username feature. Therefore, the summoning of META following allegations of child sexual abuse advertisements on Instagram is seen as a sign that the government is preparing to take a more stringent stance on the issue of children's online safety.

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