Meta denies targeting children in ads after Indian notice

Meta has issued a public defense of its child safety systems and denied allegations that it knowingly targets users with advertisements for child sexual exploitation material, following a formal notice from the Indian government. The company stated it had already removed violating advertisements and disabled associated accounts before the issue was publicly reported.

The controversy stems from media reports, including a BBC investigation, alleging that paid advertisements on Instagram in India promoted or linked to child sexual exploitation material. The reports claimed some ads contained search terms like "assault video" and "child video" and directed users to external channels selling such content. In response, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notice to Meta on July 4, ordering the immediate removal of all such advertisements and content and demanding a detailed explanation within seven days. A government official confirmed Meta's public statement does not constitute its formal response, which is still expected by the July 11 deadline.

In a blog post published on Tuesday, July 7, Meta strongly rejected the characterization that its...