New Delhi [India], November 5 (ANI): Delhi Police's Special Cell has registered an FIR over the alleged circulation of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) through Meta platforms, following a complaint flagging approximately 10 links, police said.
According to Delhi Police, FIR No. 236/2026 was registered on October 8 under Sections 67 and 67B of the Information Technology Act. The police have initiated an investigation to verify the allegations and examine the flagged links.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanoongo also confirmed the registration of the FIR in a post on X.
"Acting on our directions, Delhi Police has registered an FIR regarding the availability of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on platforms operated by @MetaIndia," Kanoongo wrote.
The development comes amid the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights' (NCPCR) inquiry into alleged CSEAM advertisements on Meta platforms.
Earlier, on September 16, the NCPCR had once again summoned the Managing Director and Head of Meta India in connection with the inquiry, with a hearing scheduled for the same day, according to government sources.
The Commission had issued a notice to Meta on July 3 seeking an explanation. Meta submitted its response a week later, following which the NCPCR decided to institute a formal inquiry to establish the facts.
According to government sources, the Commission's continued follow-up in the matter also prompted Meta to revise its policy on reporting cases of child sexual abuse. Meta subsequently began reporting such cases to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the sources said.
Earlier, a Meta spokesperson reiterated the company's commitment to tackling online child exploitation and related crimes.
"Protecting children on our platforms is a priority for us, and we're committed to working with the government to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are held responsible," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added, "To collectively strengthen our efforts to combat this harm, Meta will now report child safety matters directly to the Cybercrime portal managed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (14C)."
Meta operates several major social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, where it has implemented measures aimed at detecting and preventing harmful content involving children.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, works to strengthen the country's response to cybercrime through coordination among law enforcement agencies, capacity building and technology-driven solutions. (ANI)
Delhi Police registers FIR over alleged circulation of child sexual abuse material on Meta platforms
