New Delhi: The Government of India has further toughened its stance regarding child safety on social media platforms. Amidst this, the tech company Meta has agreed to share information concerning child sexual exploitation and child safety issues with relevant law enforcement agencies. The government has clarified that online child safety is paramount for the operation of social media platforms in India and that no negligence in this regard will be tolerated.
According to government sources, this move by Meta marks an initial step towards keeping children safe on digital platforms. However, the government believes that many more effective measures are required to make online platforms completely safe for children.
Need for further measures regarding child safety
According to news agency ANI, government sources stated that Meta has agreed to report matters related to child safety to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. While the government views this as a significant beginning, it maintains that much work remains to be done to ensure child safety on digital platforms.
The government has sent a clear message to social media companies: platforms must develop proactive systems to identify and remove content that is harmful or dangerous to children. Necessary action may also be taken against platforms that fail to comply with the regulations.
Discussions ongoing with other social media platforms as well
The central government is not engaging solely with Meta regarding online child safety; it is also in continuous dialogue with other social media companies. The objective is to make the process of identifying and removing content that poses risks to children more effective.
The government wants social media platforms to go beyond merely acting on complaints; it seeks robust systems that proactively identify and remove potentially harmful content.
NCPCR had initiated action against Meta
The issue gained serious attention when the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) initiated action against Meta. The Commission had launched an investigation into alleged advertisements related to the sexual exploitation and abuse of children on Meta’s platforms. Taking suo motu cognizance of a BBC report, the NCPCR issued a notice to Meta on July 3, 2026, seeking a response regarding the allegations raised therein.
Meta submitted its reply to the Commission about a week later. Subsequently, the NCPCR summoned the Managing Director and the Head of Meta India to appear before the Commission. Representatives from Meta India appeared before the NCPCR on September 9.
NHRC also initiates an investigation
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also launched an inquiry into the matter. The Commission has directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations concerning Meta.
It is alleged that content related to child sexual abuse was promoted in India through paid advertisements on Instagram, which is owned by Meta. The NHRC has also asked the Delhi Police to investigate whether Meta and other parties involved in the case adhered to the reporting protocols mandated under the POCSO Act.
Reporting mechanism crucial to the investigation
The investigation into the entire matter is not limited merely to the objectionable content available online. A critical aspect of the probe is examining the steps taken to prevent, remove, and report such content to the relevant authorities once it came to light.
In other words, agencies are also assessing whether social media companies fulfilled their legal obligations and complied with mandatory reporting rules regarding child safety issues.
Amidst the government’s increasing strictness, Meta’s agreement to share information regarding child safety issues with law enforcement agencies is being viewed as a significant development in this entire matter.
