Meta under scanner as Delhi Police files FIR over child abuse content: NHRC

Meta has said online predators are increasingly using advertisements to evade detection NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against Meta India over the availability of child sexual abuse material on its platforms, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanoongo informed.“Acting on our directions, Delhi Police has registered an FIR regarding the availability of Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on platforms operated by Meta India,” Kanoongo said in a post on X. The development comes amid growing scrutiny of social media platforms over the circulation of child sexual abuse material and the use of online advertisements to direct users to illegal content.Earlier, on September 16, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had summoned the Managing Director and Head of Meta India in connection with its inquiry.Between January and June 2026, Meta took action against 5.3 million pieces of child sexual exploitation content on Facebook and Instagram in India.Meta has said online predators are increasingly using advertisements to evade detection, disguising them as harmless content while directing users to illegal material hosted on external websites.It has also committed to reporting child safety cases directly to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, operated by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C). Priyanka Jaiswal has four years of experience in digital journalism, news agency reporting and video production. Currently with The Times of India, she covers public policy, politics and global affairs. She is particularly drawn to human-interest stories that put people at the heart of an issue, spark awareness , and contribute to meaningful conversations.