NHRC takes cognisance of 'paid ads' on Meta platform 'promoting' access to child sexual abuse material
It was also reported that the advertisements had “passed through Meta's review mechanism and remained accessible” despite being reported through its grievance mechanism, until specifically brought to Meta's notice by the BBC
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken notice of allegations that advertisements running on Meta's social media platform were promoting or enabling access to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in India. The NHRC has requested detailed reports from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Delhi Police within two weeks.
Meta Platforms has not yet responded to the inquiry. The complaints allege that advertisements featured terms like "rape video" and "child video," redirecting users to channels where such material was allegedly sold. Despite being reported to Meta's grievance mechanism, the advertisements remained visible. The complainant is the Namo Foundation.
The matter is being examined under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and intermediary regulations. Section 19 of the POCSO Act mandates reporting known or suspected offences to law enforcement. The NHRC noted that Meta's failure to comply could indicate systemic issues in content moderation and child-safety measures.
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