India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is set to summon Meta after reports that Instagram carried advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material in India, according to multiple outlets citing sources. The action follows directions from Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to seek an explanation from Meta about how such ads were allowed to appear despite the platform’s content moderation processes. MeitY is expected to ask Meta to clarify the circumstances behind the reported content and to describe the steps taken to prevent similar violations.
Several reports also link the move to earlier steps taken by the Centre against Meta this week. On Wednesday, the government issued a notice to Meta’s WhatsApp over the company’s proposed username feature, raising concerns that it could increase risks including online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and identity impersonation. The government also asked whether proceedings should be initiated under India’s Information Technology Act and related rules, and it directed WhatsApp to suspend rollout pending consultations.
Across sources, the immediate focus is the government’s request for answers from Meta regarding the alleged Instagram ads and potential compliance under Indian law.
