India Registers FIR Against Meta Over Child Sexual Abuse Material on Platforms

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) concerning the alleged availability and circulation of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on platforms operated by US technology giant Meta, following directions from India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo confirmed the development in a post on X on November 4, saying Delhi Police had registered an FIR regarding the availability of such material on platforms operated by Meta India.

According to police-related reports, the FIR was registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell on October 8 as FIR No. 236/2026 under Sections 67 and 67B of the Information Technology Act. The complaint reportedly flagged approximately 10 links suspected of containing illegal material. Investigators have begun examining the links and verifying the allegations.

The development marks a significant escalation in India's scrutiny of Meta's content moderation and child safety practices.

The police action follows a BBC Eye investigation published on July 3, 2026, which found that paid advertisements on Instagram were promoting child sexual abuse material in India.

The investigation identified approximately 30 advertisements that allegedly directed users to Telegram channels where abusive material was being offered for sale, in some cases for as little as 99 Indian rupees.

The BBC reported that some advertisements remained accessible even after being flagged to Instagram, raising serious questions about the platform's advertising approval and content moderation systems.

Following the revelations, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology directed Meta to disable advertisements and other content promoting or facilitating access to child sexual abuse material. The government also demanded an explanation from the company within seven days.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also took up the matter, issuing a notice to Meta and seeking explanations and relevant documents concerning the advertisements.

The commission subsequently initiated a formal inquiry and summoned senior Meta India representatives to address concerns over the circulation of such content.

Separately, the NHRC examined the issue and directed Delhi Police to investigate the allegations.

In September 2026, Meta announced that it would begin reporting child safety cases directly to Indian authorities, following the growing controversy and the BBC investigation.

The company said protecting children on its platforms was a priority and reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with Indian authorities in tackling online exploitation and related crimes.

Meta has previously maintained that it has a zero-tolerance policy towards child sexual abuse material and uses artificial intelligence and specialised teams to identify and remove violating content.

The latest FIR puts renewed focus on the responsibility of major technology companies to prevent their platforms and advertising systems from being exploited for criminal activities.

The police investigation will examine the flagged links and the circumstances surrounding the alleged availability of the material. The registration of an FIR does not, by itself, establish criminal liability on the part of Meta.