Instagram running ads promoting child sexual abuse material in India, BBC finds
6 hours ago
- #India online exploitation
- #Meta moderation failure
- #Instagram child abuse ads
- BBC investigation found Instagram running ads in India that promoted child sexual abuse material, with terms like 'rape video' and linking to Telegram channels.
- Meta's ad review system, which relies heavily on automation, failed to detect these policy-violating ads, and some were not removed even after being reported.
- Telegram stated it removed over 274,000 groups/channels related to child sexual abuse in 2026, but critics argue it doesn't do enough to prevent criminal content sharing.
- Former Meta executive Brian Boland criticized the company's algorithms for prioritizing revenue and engagement over safety, leading to extreme content promotion.
- Indian authorities and NGOs report that Meta platforms generate the most tips on child sexual abuse material, highlighting issues in cross-platform moderation and enforcement.