NEW DELHI, INDIA / RankWire.AI / – Instagram has been found to have run paid advertisements in India that facilitated access to child sexual abuse material, according to a report published in July. Some of these ads directed users from Instagram to Telegram channels that offered illegal content for sale. Meta Platforms later admitted that these advertisements violated its policies concerning child exploitation. The report prompted action from Indian officials and raised concerns about the enforcement of advertising rules within Instagram’s paid promotion system. India has since requested explanations from Meta and increased its official scrutiny of the issue.
To investigate, authorities created an alias Instagram account in India that followed 10 profiles containing sexually suggestive posts. Within a few days, Instagram delivered paid advertisements for adult pornography to this account. Subsequent ads depicted children in sexually provocative situations and linked to Telegram channels. Investigators documented approximately 30 distinct ads promoting child sexual abuse material, some appearing via multiple advertiser accounts. The linked channels provided access to illegal content at prices starting from 99 rupees.
Instagram employs both automated systems and manual reviews to screen advertisements before they go live. Investigators reported one ad involving a young child directly through Instagram’s reporting system. The platform responded about 24 hours later, stating that the ad did not breach its community standards. Meta later indicated that its systems had already detected several violating ads and disabled the associated accounts. Following additional reviews, the company removed more advertisements, deactivated further accounts, and blocked URLs connected to content that contravened its policies.
India demands platform accountability and an explanation
Meta explained that it utilizes technology to detect accounts that display potentially suspicious activity involving children. The company reported that over 4 million suspicious Facebook and Instagram accounts were automatically removed globally in 2025. It also eliminated 36 million pieces of content related to child exploitation that year. Regarding India, Meta stated that detection efforts involving off-platform suspicious links led to the removal of 160,000 accounts within a six-month span. Furthermore, Meta reported removing 13 million pieces of child sexual exploitation content worldwide from October to December 2025.
Following the exposure of the Instagram advertising findings in July, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology took action. Authorities requested details from Meta about the advertisements and the review processes in place. On July 22, the Indian government expressed serious concern over reports linking ads to child sexual abuse material and asked for a detailed report from the intermediary. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights issued notices to relevant social media platforms and subsequently launched an investigation into the allegations against Meta-owned services.
Investigation into child protection broadens
India’s online intermediaries are governed by the Information Technology Act and the Information Technology Rules of 2021, which mandate due diligence when managing unlawful or harmful content. These regulations also require platforms to warn users against sharing material that endangers children or breaches Indian laws. Child sexual abuse material is protected under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Meta maintains that it reports suspected child exploitation through established channels, which ultimately notify Indian cybercrime authorities when necessary.
Telegram reported removing more than 274,000 groups and channels related to child sexual abuse material during 2026. Meta states that it enforces policies prohibiting advertisements that sexually exploit, endanger, or sexualize children, with ongoing review processes for ads once they are live. The child-rights inquiry initiated by India now extends to allegations that child sexual exploitation and abuse advertisements appeared on Meta’s platforms. As of August 7, authorities continue their examination under India’s child-protection and online-safety regulations.