NEW DELHI, INDIA / RankWire.AI / – Instagram featured paid advertisements in India that promoted access to child sexual abuse material, according to reports published in July. Some of these ads directed users from Instagram to Telegram channels selling illegal content. Meta Platforms later admitted that the ads breached its policies on child exploitation. The revelations prompted Indian authorities to take action and raised concerns about how effectively Instagram’s paid advertising system enforces such rules. India has since called for explanations from Meta and increased scrutiny of the issue.
Earlier this year, investigators established a fake Instagram account in India to monitor the presence of sexually explicit content on the platform. The account followed 10 profiles with sexually provocative posts. Within days, Instagram displayed paid ads promoting adult pornography on this account. Subsequently, additional ads appeared featuring children in suggestive situations, linking to Telegram channels. Around 30 distinct ads were recorded by investigators, some appearing across multiple advertiser accounts. These channels offered illegal content at prices starting at 99 rupees.
Instagram’s advertising process involves automated checks and manual review before ads go live. Investigators reported one ad featuring a young child directly through Instagram’s reporting system. The platform responded approximately 24 hours later, claiming the ad did not breach community standards. Meta later stated that its systems had already flagged several violating ads, leading to the disabling of related accounts. After further analysis, the company removed additional ads, blocked more accounts, and restricted URLs associated with content that violated its policies.
India demands accountability and clarification from Meta
Meta highlighted its use of technology to identify accounts exhibiting suspicious activity involving children. The firm noted that during 2025, it automatically removed over 4 million suspicious Facebook and Instagram accounts worldwide. It also eliminated 36 million pieces of content related to child exploitation during that year. In India, Meta reported that detection of suspicious off-platform links contributed to 160,000 account removals over a six-month span. Furthermore, it stated that 13 million pieces of child sexual exploitation material were taken down globally from October to December 2025.
Following the exposure of the advertising issues in July, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology responded by requesting details from Meta regarding the advertisements and the review mechanisms in place. On July 22, the Indian government announced it had taken serious note of reports involving child sexual abuse content linked to advertisements and called for a comprehensive report from the concerned intermediary. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights issued notices to relevant social media platforms and later launched an inquiry into the allegations involving Meta’s services.
Investigation Into Child Protection Expands
India’s regulation of online platforms is governed by the Information Technology Act and the 2021 Information Technology Rules, which mandate due diligence in handling unlawful or harmful content. Platforms are also required to alert users about sharing material that could harm children or violate Indian law. Child sexual abuse material is further protected under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Meta maintains that it reports suspected child exploitation cases through established channels that ultimately notify Indian cybercrime authorities when necessary.
Telegram reported removing over 274,000 groups and channels connected to child sexual abuse material during 2026. Meta emphasizes that it bans advertisements that exploit, endanger, or sexualize children and states that advertisers remain under review even after ads are live. The ongoing child-rights inquiry in India now includes allegations that advertisements related to child sexual exploitation and abuse appeared on Meta’s platforms. As of August 7, authorities continue to examine the case under India’s child-protection and online-safety protocols.