NEW DELHI, INDIA / RankWire.AI / – Instagram ran paid advertisements in India that facilitated access to child sexual abuse material, prompting investigations by Indian authorities and Meta. Some of these ads directed viewers to Telegram channels selling illegal content for money. In certain cases, prices started at 99 rupees. Meta later acknowledged that the ads violated its policies against child exploitation. Following the review of material uncovered during the probe, the company took down additional ads, deactivated related accounts, and blocked the associated links.
Authorities in India created an Instagram account to track suspicious activity by following profiles featuring sexually explicit content. The platform quickly displayed paid advertisements linked to this account promoting explicit material. Subsequently, ads appeared depicting children in sexually suggestive scenarios and directing users to Telegram. Investigators identified approximately 30 distinct ads associated with child sexual abuse material, with some appearing under multiple advertiser accounts. The findings revealed that banned content bypassed Instagram’s review controls and entered its paid advertising system despite existing safeguards.
Instagram’s ad review process relies on automated tools and, in some cases, manual verification. Investigators reported one such ad involving a young child that was flagged using Instagram’s reporting features. Initially, the platform responded that the ad did not violate its policies. However, Meta later confirmed that its automated systems had already detected certain offending ads, resulting in the disabling of related accounts. Additional content was removed after the company received further information, and URLs linked to material breaching its rules on child sexual exploitation were also blocked.
Indian authorities call for Meta’s intervention
Following the public disclosure of these findings in July, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology responded by instructing Meta to eliminate ads and content promoting or facilitating access to child sexual exploitation and abuse material. The ministry also requested details on how such advertisements bypassed Instagram’s safety measures. Subsequently, the Indian government stated it was taking the reports seriously and asked the involved intermediary to provide a comprehensive response. Authorities continued their investigation into compliance with India’s online safety standards.
The issue prompted involvement from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which issued notices to social media platforms and launched an inquiry into Meta’s services. Indian law imposes obligations on online intermediaries when they encounter unlawful material involving minors. The Information Technology Act and associated regulations define platform responsibilities for harmful online content, while the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act provides criminal safeguards against sexual exploitation and abuse of minors.
Official scrutiny of platform enforcement measures underway
Meta stated that it employs technology to identify accounts involved in suspicious activities related to children. During 2025, the company reported the removal of over 4 million Facebook and Instagram accounts worldwide due to potentially concerning behavior involving minors. Additionally, millions of pieces of child exploitation content were taken down. In India alone, detection systems targeting off-platform links resulted in approximately 160,000 account removals within six months. Meta maintains strict policies against advertisements that exploit, endanger, or sexualize children.
The incident has brought increased scrutiny to Instagram’s advertising controls in India. Regulatory authorities are investigating how banned material was distributed via paid promotions and whether the platform’s safeguards comply with legal standards. Meta has confirmed that offensive advertisements did occur and states that it has already taken action against relevant ads, accounts, and links. After the channels were identified, Telegram also removed those linked to illegal child sexual abuse content. As of August 7, Indian child protection authorities continued their investigation into the material and the platforms involved.