India Demands Answers from Meta Over Instagram Child Abuse Ad Controversy

India has taken a strong stance against Meta, demanding immediate action and a detailed explanation after a recent BBC investigation, published on July 3, 2026, revealed that Instagram was running paid advertisements promoting Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in the country. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a stern notice on July 4th or 5th, ordering the social media giant to disable all such ads and content within seven days. The BBC's findings highlighted a disturbing loophole where ads using explicit terms allegedly linked users to Telegram channels selling illegal material, some for as little as 99 rupees. This incident puts Meta 'Safe Harbour Protection' under Section 79 of India's IT Act at risk, as platforms are expected to observe 'due diligence' under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Despite Meta claims of a 'zero-tolerance policy' and reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for detection, the BBC initially reported some flagged ads were deemed compliant with community standards, exposing significant failures in Meta content moderation systems. This latest controversy adds to Meta mounting regulatory challenges in India, including recent scrutiny over WhatsApp new username feature. The Indian government, already pushing for stricter online child safety measures and considering age restrictions under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, now expects a comprehensive response within the week. The outcome of this directive could set a critical precedent for how global tech platforms are held accountable for harmful content in major markets worldwide.