Meta agrees to report child safety cases to Indian law enforcement

Meta has agreed to report cases of child mistreatment and other child safety-related matters to Indian law enforcement agencies, a move the government described as a first step toward greater platform accountability. Government sources announced the agreement on September 15, stating that the online safety of children is a "nonnegotiable" principle for any social media platform operating in India. The commitment follows months of government scrutiny and investigations into allegations that paid advertisements linked to child sexual exploitation material were appearing on Meta-owned platforms, including Instagram. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) launched a formal inquiry into the matter, summoning Meta executives who appeared before the commission on September 9. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also directed Delhi Police to investigate the allegations and examine compliance with reporting obligations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Government officials emphasized that Meta's agreement represents only an initial measure.