Meta is once again under the Indian government's scanner, marking the second major scrutiny in a week. After raising concerns over WhatsApp's proposed username feature, the Centre is now preparing to question the company over allegations that Instagram carried paid advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), under the direction of Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, is expected to seek an explanation from Meta on how such advertisements cleared the platform's review process and what action has been taken to prevent similar incidents.
Government Seeks Answers from Meta
The latest action follows a BBC investigation that claimed certain paid Instagram advertisements in India redirected users to Telegram channels allegedly selling child sexual abuse material for ₹99.
According to government sources, MeitY wants Meta to explain:
How the advertisements passed Instagram's moderation system.
Why they were allowed to appear on the platform.
What steps the company has taken to remove such content and strengthen its safeguards.
Officials are also expected to seek details of Meta's future action plan to prevent similar cases.
What the BBC Investigation Claimed
The BBC reported that it created a new Instagram account in India and, within days, began receiving objectionable content and advertisements allegedly promoting illegal material involving children.
The investigation claimed that clicking on some of these ads redirected users to Telegram channels where such content was allegedly offered for sale. The report also said details of around 30 advertisements and related Telegram channels had been shared with Indian authorities.
Meta's Response
According to the report, Meta said that no content moderation system is perfect. The company stated that it has:
Removed multiple advertisements.
Suspended accounts responsible for posting them.
Blocked several URLs.
Taken action against accounts found violating its policies.
The company has yet to publicly respond to the government's latest move.
Second Notice in a Week
Earlier this week, the government also questioned Meta over WhatsApp's proposed username feature, expressing concerns that it could increase risks related to phishing, identity spoofing, digital fraud, and cybercrime.
The IT Ministry reportedly asked the company to pause the rollout until discussions with the government are completed and sought a detailed explanation regarding the feature.
Why India Matters to Meta
India remains Meta's largest user market, with more than one billion users across its platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.
According to industry estimates:
WhatsApp has over 600 million users in India.
Instagram has more than 410 million users.
Facebook's user base is estimated at 400–500 million.
A significant share of Meta's Indian audience is under the age of 35, making content safety and platform moderation particularly important.
Growing Regulatory Scrutiny
With its platforms reaching hundreds of millions of Indians, Meta is facing increasing regulatory attention over user safety, online fraud, and content moderation. The latest Instagram controversy, coupled with concerns over WhatsApp's upcoming features, signals that the company's operations in India are likely to remain under close government scrutiny in the coming months.
