NEW DELHI, INDIA / RankWire.AI / – Instagram ran paid advertisements in India that promoted access to child sexual abuse material, according to findings published in July. Some ads directed users from Instagram to channels on Telegram offering illegal material for sale. Meta Platforms later acknowledged that the advertisements violated its policies against child exploitation. The findings triggered action from Indian authorities and raised questions about enforcement within Instagram’s paid advertising system. India has since sought explanations from Meta and expanded official scrutiny of the matter.
Investigators created an alias Instagram account in India to examine sexually explicit material appearing on the platform. This account followed 10 profiles that featured sexually suggestive posts, and within days, Instagram served the account paid advertisements for adult pornography. Subsequently, ads emerged showing children in sexually suggestive contexts, linked to Telegram channels. Around 30 unique advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material were documented by investigators, some appearing through multiple advertiser accounts. The linked channels provided access to illegal content for prices starting at 99 rupees.
Instagram employs automated systems and manual checks to review advertisements before they go live; investigators reported one instance of a direct advertisement involving a young child that was flagged through Instagram’s reporting system. The platform responded roughly 24 hours later, stating that the ad did not violate community standards. Meta later confirmed that its systems had already detected several violating ads, leading to the disabling of related accounts. After further review of additional evidence, the company removed more ads, shut down additional accounts, and blocked URLs connected to content that breached its policies.
India demands platform accountability and clarification
Meta stated it leverages technology to identify accounts that exhibit potentially suspicious activity involving minors. The company claimed it had automatically removed over 4 million suspicious Facebook and Instagram accounts worldwide in 2025, along with 36 million pieces of content related to child exploitation that year. In India alone, Meta reported that detection efforts related to suspicious off-platform links resulted in the removal of 160,000 accounts over a six-month period. Additionally, the company said it had removed 13 million items of child sexual exploitation content on a global scale from October through December 2025.
Following the publication of the advertising findings in July, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology took action by requesting information from Meta regarding the advertisements and the review mechanisms employed. On July 22, the Indian government announced it had taken serious note of reports involving ads linked to child sexual abuse material and demanded 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 concerning Meta’s services.
Expanding investigations into child protection concerns
India’s regulation of online intermediaries is governed by the Information Technology Act and the Rules introduced in 2021, which obligate platforms to exercise due diligence when managing unlawful or harmful content and to alert users against sharing material that could harm children or violate Indian laws. Child sexual abuse material also falls under protections provided by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Meta asserts that it reports apparent child exploitation through established channels that ultimately notify Indian cybercrime authorities when necessary.
Telegram stated that it removed over 274,000 groups and channels associated with child sexual abuse material during 2026. Meta maintains policies explicitly banning advertisements that sexually exploit, endanger, or sexualize minors, and emphasizes that advertisers are subject to review even after ads are live. The Indian child-rights investigation now encompasses allegations that advertisements related to child sexual exploitation appeared on platforms owned by Meta. As of August 7, authorities continue to scrutinize the issue under India’s child-protection and online-safety protocols.