Delhi police open investigation into child sexual exploitation material on Meta platforms

Investigation launched on the referral of the children's rights commission

The police of India's capital have opened an investigation into alleged child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) on platforms operated in India by the American company Meta. Priyank Kanoongo, a member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said that, on the commission's instructions, the Delhi police registered a case (FIR) over the availability of such material on Meta India's platforms. Meta has not yet commented on the decision, Anadolu reports.

What preceded the case

The registration of the case comes amid growing scrutiny of how the company handles harmful content. In July, a BBC Eye investigation uncovered paid advertising promoting child sexual exploitation material on Instagram, which is owned by Meta, in India. These findings prompted the Indian government to order the company to remove such ads and other similar content from its platforms. In September, Meta announced that it would begin reporting child safety cases directly to Indian authorities, reaffirming its commitment to fighting online child exploitation and related crimes. Thus, the case registered by the police marks a shift from administrative directives to a criminal-law review, while the outcome of the investigation and Meta's position remain unknown.