Business
Archived — This article has been archived. The information may be outdated.
Centre to summon Meta over Instagram ads promoting child abuse
The Times of India··3 Jul
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on July 3, 2026, directed officials to seek an explanation from Meta after a BBC investigation found Instagram served paid advertisements in India promoting child sexual abuse material. Ads used explicit terms and linked to Telegram channels selling content. MeitY is expected to question how such ads were approved on the platform.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Social media ad safety affects all Instagram users in India.
- Platform moderation failures on CSAM may trigger stricter government regulation.
- Parents and guardians face ongoing risks from harmful content promotion online.
What's Happening
- MeitY will summon Meta over Instagram CSAM ads on July 3.
- BBC investigation found paid ads linking to Telegram channels.
- Vaishnaw directed officials to seek an explanation from Meta.
Regulatory Context
- Distribution of CSAM is a criminal offence under Indian law.
- Government has recently scrutinised WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal.
- Meta disabled several ads after the BBC report.
all-newstop-stories
