Meta found running child abuse ads in India – report
A new report by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) reveals that Meta ran 332 paid adverts featuring child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on Facebook and Instagram between September 2025 and August 2026. The findings show that 84 of these ads were produced in India, more than half appearing after the local government ordered the platform to remove all CSAM‑related content.
The campaigners say the ads employed both real child images and AI‑generated transformations to depict sexual acts. Meta’s own statement claims it “does not tolerate nudify apps or any kind of child exploitation” and that it constantly updates enforcement systems. However, TTP reports that Meta only appears to have removed ads worth under $5,000 and that many still ran after the company was warned.
Indian bodies such as the National Commission for Protection of Children, the National Human Rights Commission, and cyber police officials are now urging stricter, mandatory reporting mechanisms. The founder of Just Rights for Children, Bhuwan Ribhu, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to compel platforms to flag and report every CSAM advert. His campaign stresses that the law states the distribution of CSAM is a criminal offence and that Meta’s policies should align with this requirement.
In the wake of the BBC investigation, Meta published a statement on its website detailing its fight against child exploitation. “Anyone on our platforms can report ads if they believe we violate our policies,” it noted. Yet TTP found that of the 84 Indian ads, only 55 were reported by users, and Meta’s reply to many was that the ad was not a policy violation. This suggests current monitoring mechanisms still allow CSAM content to slip through.
The ads also directed users to AI‑image and video apps, many from Chinese developers, hinting at a broader market of digital tools for creating or distributing CSAM. Meta’s advertising system, which relies heavily on automation, was praised for catching some infractions but still needs improvement to meet child‑protection obligations in India and worldwide.
