The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a stern notice to Meta, demanding immediate action against child sexual exploitative and abusive material found in paid advertisements on Instagram. This warning follows a BBC investigation that revealed such content was being promoted on the platform.
Meta, which has a significant user base in India with over 480 million Instagram users, has been directed to disable all related advertisements and provide a detailed explanation within a week. Although the company has a zero-tolerance policy for child abuse content and employs AI technology to detect violations, it faces ongoing challenges from users attempting to evade detection.
Earlier this year, Meta was also found to be in violation of EU laws regarding children's access to its platforms, potentially facing fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. The Indian government is tightening regulations on digital platforms, as evidenced by a recent warning to WhatsApp regarding its username feature, which authorities believe could increase cybercrime.
Analysts suggest that this situation serves as a wake-up call for Meta to enhance compliance measures in India, a market that is becoming increasingly demanding in terms of regulatory oversight