The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), and the Delhi Police to submit Action Taken Reports within two weeks regarding paid advertisements linked to Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on Instagram. This follows a July investigation by BBC Eye that revealed Instagram's advertising system in India was running paid ads promoting CSAM content, raising serious legal and ethical concerns.
The NHRC bench emphasized the legal obligations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, urging the authorities to take active measures to protect child victims and thoroughly investigate the issue. The commission's notice to MeitY, MIB, and Delhi Police seeks detailed information on steps taken to curb the circulation of such content on the platform and to hold responsible parties accountable. The move reflects growing scrutiny of social media platforms' role in moderating harmful content in India.
This development comes amid increasing global and domestic pressure on social media companies to enhance content moderation and prevent exploitation of minors online. Instagram, owned by Meta, has faced criticism worldwide for lapses in monitoring advertisements and content linked to child abuse. The NHRC's intervention highlights the Indian government's focus on enforcing stricter compliance with child protection laws and ensuring that digital platforms operate within the legal framework.
The NHRC's directive requires MeitY, MIB, and Delhi Police to provide comprehensive reports on actions taken against the CSAM ads on Instagram within two weeks, marking a critical step in addressing online child exploitation. The commission's order was issued on September 3, 2026, underscoring the urgency of the matter.