New Delhi: Meta has responded to concerns raised by the Indian government following reports that advertisements connected to child sexual abuse material appeared on Instagram. The company has rejected claims that it deliberately targeted users in India with such advertisements and said it has strict policies against child exploitation across its platforms.
The controversy began after reports claimed that some paid advertisements on Instagram were being used to promote or direct users towards illegal child sexual abuse material. According to reports, some of these advertisements allegedly guided users to outside messaging services or private channels where such illegal content could be accessed.
The reports created serious concern about how such advertisements were able to pass through Instagram's advertising review system. Since paid advertisements normally go through checks before they are shown to users, questions were raised about whether Meta's automated systems and human review processes were strong enough to detect harmful and illegal material.
Following the reports, the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notice to Meta. The government asked the company to remove advertisements and related content that promoted or helped people gain access to child sexual exploitation and abuse material. Meta was also asked to explain the situation and provide details about the action being taken to prevent similar incidents.
In its response, Meta said it has zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation and abuse. The company denied deliberately targeting users in India with advertisements connected to such material. It said its policies strictly prohibit content that sexually exploits or endangers children and that it uses technology, trained experts and cooperation with law enforcement agencies to identify and remove violations.
Meta also shared details about its enforcement actions. According to the company, around four million accounts and about 36 million pieces of content linked to child exploitation were removed globally during the first half of 2026. In India alone, the company said around 160,000 accounts were disabled during the same period for violating child safety rules.
However, the large number of removals has also raised questions about the scale of the problem. Child safety experts and regulators have repeatedly expressed concern that social media platforms can be misused by criminals to find victims, share illegal material and move users to private communication services.
The issue is particularly serious because the latest controversy involves paid advertising. Ordinary social media posts are uploaded directly by users, but advertisements are part of a commercial system where advertisers pay the platform to reach specific audiences. This has led to demands for greater transparency about how the advertisements were approved and how the platform decides which users will see them.
The Indian government's action is therefore focused on more than simply removing individual advertisements. Authorities want Meta to explain how the material entered the advertising system and what changes are being introduced to prevent similar content from appearing again.
Meta has maintained that it continues to improve its safety systems and works with experts and authorities to fight online child exploitation. The company has also said that people who attempt to share or promote such material can have their accounts removed and may be reported to the relevant authorities.
The controversy comes at a time when social media companies are facing increasing pressure around the world over the safety of children and teenagers online. Governments and regulators in several countries have been examining whether large technology companies are doing enough to protect young users from harmful content, exploitation and unsafe online interactions.
Meta is also facing separate legal pressure in the United States over allegations concerning the impact of Facebook and Instagram on children. A federal judge recently allowed claims by several state attorneys general to continue. The states have accused the company of designing its platforms in ways that could harm or create unhealthy patterns of use among young people and of failing to properly disclose some risks. Meta has disputed those allegations.
The case in the United States is separate from the controversy over advertisements in India, but both developments highlight the growing demand for stronger responsibility from major social media platforms.
For the Indian government, the immediate concern remains the protection of children and the prevention of illegal material from being distributed or promoted through online platforms. The authorities are seeking clear answers about how the reported advertisements appeared and what permanent measures will be taken to stop such incidents in the future.
The latest response from Meta may explain the company's position and its enforcement efforts, but questions about advertising controls, platform responsibility and child protection are likely to remain under close examination. The incident has once again shown how difficult it is for large social media platforms to control harmful content at scale and how important strong monitoring systems are when the safety and dignity of children are at risk.