'Meta has admitted mistake, must remove child abuse content': Govt sources say firm has no immunity

NEW DELHI: Meta has admitted to a mistake and will immediately inform authorities about material related to child sexual abuse.Sources said that Meta will have to remove content related to the sexual abuse of children and material that could lead people to suicide.The government has told Meta that it can no longer be treated only as an intermediary but as a service provider, and will have to take responsibility for the content and services it provides. The development could have far-reaching consequences for Meta, sources added.The government believes Meta may no longer be entitled to legal immunity, although the issue will ultimately have to be decided by a court, they said.The development comes as Meta said it will report child-safety matters directly to India's National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, amid heightened government scrutiny over allegations that paid advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) appeared on Instagram.Until now, Meta primarily routed child-safety reports through the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The new commitment will establish a direct reporting channel to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, managed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.The Centre described the move as a first step and stressed that "much more" needs to be done. "Online safety of children is a fundamental principle for any social media platform to operate in India and it is non-negotiable," officials said.The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) first issued a notice to Meta on July 3, 2026, seeking an explanation over advertisements allegedly linked to child sexual abuse material (CSEAM). Meta submitted its response a week later.The Commission subsequently decided to institute a formal inquiry to establish the facts of the matter and summoned Meta's India managing director and head to appear before it.The Meta head did not appear at the September 9 hearing, with the company instead represented by senior executives. Meta officials cited urgent reasons for the senior executive's absence, following which the NCPCR directed that the company's India head appear at the next hearing.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.