Government issues notice to Meta over child sexual exploitation ads
What's the story
The Indian government has issued a notice to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over paid advertisements promoting content related to child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM), NDTV reported, citing sources. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has ordered Instagram to remove all such content facilitating access to CSEAM. The ministry has sought a detailed response from Meta within seven days.
Potential consequences
Meta may face legal action
If Meta fails to respond within the stipulated time, it could face legal action under the Information Technology Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The government has also demanded immediate corrective measures against what it calls the "algorithmic amplification" of CSEAM. This notice comes after a BBC report claimed that Meta's recommendation algorithm was promoting videos containing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
Advertising concerns
Inappropriate ads on Facebook, Instagram
The BBC investigation also found inappropriate advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, even though Meta's advertising policies clearly prohibit nudity and sexually explicit content. The ads in question reportedly contained terms like 'rape video' and 'child video,' leading users to Telegram channels where such content was allegedly available for purchase. The Indian government has questioned how these ads were approved in the first place and what corrective measures Meta has taken since the allegations first came.
Company statement
We have zero-tolerance policy toward CSAM: Meta
Responding to the BBC report, a Meta spokesperson reiterated the company's zero-tolerance policy toward soliciting or sharing CSAM, including in ads. The spokesperson wrote in an email to PTI, "We use advanced AI technology to proactively detect violating content and individuals." However, they acknowledged that "but we are in a constant battle with criminals who hide among our 3.5 billion users and try to evade our detection."
Ongoing efforts
Meta vows to improve defenses against CSAM
The Meta spokesperson further emphasized the company's commitment to improving its defenses against CSAM. They said, "Our expert teams are constantly working to improve our defenses, develop new technology to root out predators, block links to violating websites." The spokesperson also stressed sharing intelligence with other companies so they can take action too.