After Username Notice, Govt to Now Summon Meta over Child Sexual Abuse Ads on Instagram

PTI reported that the fresh scrutiny comes after a BBC investigation found that Meta's recommendation algorithm had been pushing videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The Wire Staff

PTI reported that the fresh scrutiny comes after a BBC investigation found that Meta's recommendation algorithm had been pushing videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

after username notice govt to now summon meta over child sexual abuse ads on instagram

Meta logo. Photo: Pixabay/Artapixel.

New Delhi: Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has reportedly directed officials in the ministry to summon Meta for questioning after ads promoting child sexual abuse material surfaced on Instagram. The ministry will demand a formal explanation from the company over the issue, sources told news agency PTI on Friday (July 3).

PTI reported that the fresh scrutiny comes after a BBC investigation found that Meta's recommendation algorithm had been pushing videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), a finding that pointed to significant lapses in the company's content safeguards.

Also read: 'Signal Inclusion Sharpest Sign of What It's Really About': IFF on Govt Notices to Telegram, Others

The same investigation also revealed that advertisements of this nature run on both Facebook and Instagram though Meta's own advertising guidelines explicitly bar nudity and sexually explicit content, the report added.

This marks the second time in a week that the Union government has turned up the heat on Meta.

As The Wire reported earlier, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), sent a notice to Meta, the parent company of Whatsapp on Tuesday (July 1) directing it to not rollout the proposed “username” feature for users on the messaging app.

Also read: Govt Blocks WhatsApp's Username Feature, Cites Scam Risk

The government’s notice said the feature could “materially increase fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams” in India, enable “bad actors to solicit and message victims” and warns that users might impersonate individuals or government authorities if they get usernames.

Meta announced the roll-out of the username feature globally on June 29 and said it will include India as part of a phased introduction.

Notably, the Union government on Thursday (July 2) has also sent formal notices to Telegram and Signal asking both messaging platforms to explain the safeguards in place around features that let users send messages without disclosing their phone numbers.

This article went live on July fourth, two thousand twenty six, at fifty-four minutes past one at night.

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