- Instagram ran paid ads promoting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in India, linking to Telegram channels selling it for as little as 99 rupees.
- Meta's moderation system initially approved some ads, but later disabled several and suspended accounts after BBC investigation, while Telegram removed over 274,000 groups/channels in 2026.
- Indian authorities were notified, and critics accuse Meta of prioritizing revenue over safety, with former employees citing algorithmic promotion of extreme content and insufficient oversight.
- Meta denied knowingly targeting inappropriate ads and reported CSAM to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), but experts highlight gaps in cross-platform moderation and law enforcement challenges in India.
- Child sexual abuse in India is often linked to organized crime, with low reporting rates and police lacking technical skills; international cooperation is deemed crucial for tracking and combating such crimes.