Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 15: Tech giant Meta has agreed to report cases of child sexual abuse and other child safety-related matters to appropriate law enforcement agencies in India, as the Centre steps up its engagement with social media platforms over harmful content online.
The government has made it clear that protecting children on digital platforms is a key requirement for social media companies operating in India and that there will be no compromise on the issue.
“Online safety of children is a fundamental principle for any social media platform to operate in India and it is non-negotiable,” government sources told news agency.
According to the sources, Meta’s decision to report child safety-related matters to law enforcement agencies is an initial step towards strengthening safeguards for children using digital platforms. However, the government has indicated that further measures will be required to make social media platforms safer for children.
“Meta has agreed to report child safety-related matters to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. It is a first step towards making the platforms safe for children and much more needs to be done,” the sources said.
The government’s discussions are not limited to Meta. The Centre is also engaging with other social media platforms to encourage the proactive identification and removal of harmful content, particularly material that poses a risk to children.
“The government remains engaged with other platforms to proactively identify and remove such content,” the sources said.
The government has also warned that platforms could face action if they fail to take proactive measures to protect children from harmful content.
“The government shall take action against platforms which do not take proactive steps for the safety of children,” the sources added.
The development comes amid proceedings initiated by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) against Meta over allegations concerning advertisements linked to Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM).
Representatives of Meta India appeared before the NCPCR on September 9 after the child rights body summoned the company’s Managing Director and Head of Meta India in connection with its inquiry.
The NCPCR had taken suo motu cognisance of a BBC Eye report concerning alleged advertisements on Meta-owned platforms. Following this, the Commission issued a notice to Meta Platforms, Inc. on July 3, seeking an explanation over the allegations. Meta submitted its response a week later.
The proceedings have added to scrutiny over how social media platforms detect, prevent and report content involving the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had also taken up the allegations and directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into claims that paid advertisements on Meta-owned Instagram promoted Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in India.
The NHRC further asked the Delhi Police to examine whether Meta and other entities concerned had complied with mandatory reporting requirements under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The inquiry assumes significance as the allegations involve not only the presence of harmful material online but also questions over whether appropriate reporting and preventive mechanisms were followed when such content was identified.
The latest development comes as the Centre continues to press social media platforms to strengthen child-safety measures and take proactive steps to prevent children from being exposed to harmful content online.