Meta Platforms has rejected allegations that it knowingly allowed or targeted advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material on its platforms, saying it has strengthened enforcement after receiving a notice from the Centre over reports involving Instagram ads.
In a detailed statement, the company described child exploitation as a “horrific crime” and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy. Meta said it had already identified and removed several policy-violating advertisements and disabled the accounts behind them before the issue was flagged by authorities. A subsequent internal review led to more ads being removed, additional accounts being disabled and links associated with the content being blocked.
Highlighting its enforcement efforts, Meta said advances in its artificial intelligence systems enabled it to automatically remove more than four million suspicious accounts globally last year, along with 36 million pieces of child exploitation content. In India alone, the company said its AI-based detection systems helped remove around 1.6 lakh accounts in the past six months for suspected child exploitation-related activity.
The company also stressed that all advertisements undergo automated and manual reviews before publication and may be reviewed again after going live. It said advertisers found violating its policies can face restrictions or permanent removal from its platforms.
The clarification comes after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed Meta to immediately remove advertisements and content promoting or facilitating child sexual exploitative and abuse material, while seeking a detailed explanation from the company. The government has also asked Meta to strengthen safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Meta said it will continue working with law enforcement agencies and child safety organisations to improve detection systems and strengthen protections for children across its platforms.
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