Meta acknowledged that its ad review system "may not catch every violation" in a July 7 blog post, following a BBC Eye investigation that found Instagram running paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in India. The ads used terms like "rape video" and "child video," linking to Telegram channels selling such content for as low as Rs 99. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued Meta a seven-day notice to explain how these ads passed review and ordered Instagram to disable all such advertisements and content, according to medianama.com.
Meta's Advertising Standards outline that every ad is reviewed against policies prohibiting child sexual exploitation. The initial review relies primarily on automated tools that scan images, videos, text, targeting information, and associated landing pages before ads begin running. For most ads, this automated pass is the only review they receive. Human reviewers intervene only when the automated system flags content for further examination, as detailed by medianama.com.
The incident highlights challenges in moderating digital advertising content, especially when automated systems are the primary filter. The presence of CSAM-related ads on Instagram, a platform with millions of users in India, raises concerns about the effectiveness of current content moderation practices. MeitY's intervention reflects growing regulatory scrutiny over social media platforms' responsibility to prevent illegal content, aligning with broader global efforts to combat online child exploitation, medianama.com reports.
Meta must respond to MeitY's notice within seven days, detailing how the offending advertisements bypassed its review process. The company has also been directed to disable all such advertisements and content on Instagram in India, underscoring immediate regulatory action on the issue, according to medianama.com.