Centre Summons Meta Over Instagram Ads Promoting Child Sexual Abuse
Superadmin
IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has reportedly directed MeitY to summon Meta executives to clarify on Instagram ads that allegedly promoted child sexual abuse material (CSAM), as per multiple reports.
As per a report by ToI, the ministry seeks explanation from Meta over the issue and asks the company to clarify how such advertisements appeared on the platform.
Vaishnaw’s directions came in quick succession to a BBC report, which found Instagram platform to house ads that promoted sexually explicit content in relation to minors. These ads link users to channels on the messaging app Telegram, where they can buy the content for as little as ₹99.
Despite the content being reported, Instagram reportedly failed to take down the ads.
Meta’s policies require all ad posts to be reviewed, primarily through an automated review system that checks images, video, text and audio, as well as the ad’s target audience and the destination of the ad link. Humans review posts that the automated system is uncertain whether to reject or approve.
Meta told the BBC that it reviews live ads through a “proactive detection technology” and checks ads that are reported by users, adding that some violations may go unnoticed by its system.
This is the second time Meta finds itself under regulatory scrutiny.
Earlier this week, the MeitY reportedly asked Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp to hold off on implementing its proposed username feature and submit an explanation of the feature within three days.
The proposed feature, which allows users to add contacts via usernames rather than phone numbers, had raised concerns around impersonation, identity fraud, data sharing across Meta apps and compliance with India’s traceability and data protection rules.
The broader issue of unsafe content on social media platforms has also been in the spotlight lately. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh’s governments have already proposed measures to restrict social media usage by children while Maharashtra and Goa are mulling similar policies.
Besides, the Centre too has been having discussions around implementing restrictions on social media for minors, according to reports.
The post Centre Summons Meta Over Instagram Ads Promoting Child Sexual Abuse appeared first on Inc42 Media.
