India Threatens Meta With Legal Action Over Instagram Child Abuse Ads

India has threatened Meta, the parent company of Instagram, with legal action over advertisements on the platform that allegedly promoted child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The Indian government issued a formal warning demanding the immediate removal of such content and a detailed explanation from the company.

The warning follows reports that Instagram ads were being used to disseminate or promote content related to child sexual abuse. Indian authorities have expressed serious concern over the platform's failure to prevent such material from appearing in advertisements.

Meta has been given a deadline to comply with the demand to remove the offending content and provide a response. Failure to do so could result in legal proceedings under Indian law, which imposes strict penalties for hosting or promoting CSAM.

The Indian government has intensified scrutiny of social media platforms in recent years, requiring them to adhere to local laws on content moderation and user safety. This case underscores ongoing tensions between global tech companies and national regulators over harmful content online.