IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to summon Meta over Instagram advertisements allegedly promoting child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The development has come as per media reports, with sources stating that the ministry has sought an explanation from Meta over the issue and has asked the company to clarify how such advertisements have appeared on the platform.
This has marked the second instance this week in which the Centre has taken action involving Meta.
Earlier this week, the government had issued a notice to Meta over WhatsApp’s proposed username feature, citing concerns that it could significantly increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks.
The Centre had directed WhatsApp to pause the rollout of the feature until consultations on the issue had been completed to the satisfaction of the government.
The government had also asked Meta to explain why action should not be initiated under the Information Technology Act and related rules over the proposed feature, stating that it could increase cybercrime risks.
Additionally, the Centre had reminded Meta that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is required to comply with due diligence obligations under the Information Technology Act and its associated rules.
