Our Bureau
New Delhi
Meta will now report child safety-related matters directly to the cybercrime portal managed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), the company said on Tuesday, in a move aimed at strengthening coordination with Indian law enforcement agencies.
“Protecting children on our platforms is a priority for us,” a Meta spokesperson said, adding that the company was committed to working with the government to ensure perpetrators of such crimes are held responsible. The announcement comes amid increased government scrutiny of social media platforms over child sexual abuse material, deepfakes and other harmful online content.
The I4C, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, coordinates India’s response to cybercrime and operates the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, which includes a focus on crimes against women and children.
The move follows discussions between the government and Meta on improving safeguards and accountability. Government sources have maintained that online safety of children is a fundamental requirement for social media platforms operating in India.
Meta’s decision also comes amid inquiries into allegations that advertisements related to child sexual exploitation and abuse material appeared on Instagram. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had summoned Meta India’s senior representatives in connection with the matter. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had earlier directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive probe into allegations involving paid advertisements on Instagram.