Delhi Police Files FIR Over Child Sexual Abuse Material On Meta Platforms, NHRC Member Confirms

New Delhi: Delhi Police has registered an FIR regarding the availability of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on platforms operated by Meta, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanoongo said. 

In a post on X, Kanoongo said, “Acting on our directions, Delhi Police has registered an FIR regarding the availability of Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on platforms operated by @MetaIndia.” 

Earlier, on September 16, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had once again summoned the Managing Director and Head of Meta India in connection with its inquiry into CSEAM advertisements, with the hearing scheduled for the same day, according to government sources. 

As per government sources, the NCPCR had issued a notice to Meta on July 3 seeking an explanation from the company in the matter. 

Meta submitted its response a week later. Following the response, the NCPCR decided to institute a formal inquiry to determine the facts of the case. 

As part of the ongoing inquiry, the Commission has once again summoned the MD and Head of Meta India for the hearing scheduled on Wednesday. 

According to government sources, the NCPCR's persistent follow-up in the Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) matter has also prompted Meta to revise its policy on reporting cases of child sexual abuse. 

Meta has now begun reporting such cases to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (14C), the sources said.In another matter concerning alleged child abuse at a day care centre operated by Capgemini in Bengaluru, the NCPCR has summoned the company's Vice President for a hearing on September 16. 

Earlier, a Meta spokesperson reiterated its commitment to tackling online child exploitation and related crimes. 

"Protecting children on our platforms is a priority for us, and we're committed to working with the government to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are held responsible," the Meta spokesperson said  

"To collectively strengthen our efforts to combat this harm, Meta will now report child safety matters directly to the Cybercrime portal managed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (14C)," the spokesperson added. 

Meta operates several major social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, where it has implemented measures aimed at detecting and preventing harmful content involving children. 

The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (14C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, works towards strengthening the country's response to cybercrime through coordination among law enforcement agencies, capacity building and technology-driven solutions.