In a major action against tech giant Meta, the Delhi Police have registered an FIR against the company over the presence of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on its social media platforms. The action followed the directions of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo shared the information on Wednesday (November 4, 2026) through a post on X. “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,” Kanoongo wrote.
UPDATE! 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. हमारे निर्देशों पर कार्रवाई करते हुए, दिल्ली पुलिस ने @MetaIndia द्वारा संचालित प्लेटफॉर्म्स पर बाल यौन शोषण एवं दुर्व्यवहार संबंधी सामग्री (CSEAM) की उपलब्धता के मामले में FIR दर्ज की है।
— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) November 4, 2026
The central government has been engaging with Meta with concerns about the circulation and availability of CSEAM on its social media platforms, particularly Instagram and Facebook.
In September, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) summoned Meta India’s top leadership over disturbing allegations that paid advertisements on Instagram were being used to promote and facilitate access to Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM).
Earlier, in July, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a notice to Meta ordering it to take down the Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse content.
This was followed by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, directing MeitY officials to summon Meta representatives and seek a detailed explanation on paid advertisements appearing on Instagram that promote child sexual abuse material in India.
The government recently intensified scrutiny on the availability of CSEAM on Meta platforms to ensure child safety.
In August, the government summoned the company’s Global Head of Public Policy, Joel Kaplan, and a senior Instagram technical official to discuss several topics, including Meta’s compliance with Indian regulations on CSEAM.
Meta has been facing accusations of compromising child safety not just in India but also in the US and Europe. In August this year, a US court imposed a massive penalty of $567 million on Meta.
A court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US, ordered the company to deposit the amount into a Teen Mental Health Fund. The court held Meta responsible for harming the health and safety of children and teenagers through its platforms. It directed the company to make changes in the fundamental operations of its platforms to protect underage users.
