The Central government will summon Meta over Instagram advertisements that allegedly promoted child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to sources. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to seek an explanation from the company. The ministry will ask Meta to clarify how such advertisements appeared on Instagram and what steps it has taken to remove them and prevent similar incidents in the future.

This is the second action taken by the Centre against Meta within the same week. The latest move reflects the government's continued focus on ensuring that digital platforms follow safety standards and comply with Indian regulations.

Earlier this week, the government also issued a notice to Meta over WhatsApp's proposed username feature. On Wednesday, the Centre asked the company to pause the rollout of the feature until discussions with the government are completed. Officials raised concerns that the proposed feature could increase the risk of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation.

The government stated that the feature could create new opportunities for cybercriminals to misuse the platform. It asked Meta to explain why action should not be initiated under the Information Technology Act and the relevant rules over the proposed feature. The notice also reminded the company that WhatsApp is classified as a significant social media intermediary. As a result, it must fulfil all due diligence obligations under the Information Technology Act and the rules framed under it.

With the latest development involving Instagram, MeitY will now seek a detailed response from Meta regarding the advertisements that allegedly promoted child sexual abuse material. Officials want to know how the content was allowed to appear on the platform and what measures the company has introduced to stop such content from reaching users.

The government's action against Meta on two separate issues within a few days highlights its stricter approach towards digital platforms operating in India. While the earlier notice focused on concerns linked to the proposed WhatsApp username feature, the latest action centres on the alleged promotion of child sexual abuse material through Instagram advertisements. Meta is expected to respond to the ministry's queries and explain the safeguards it has put in place to address both issues.