A new report has found that Meta continues to run paid advertisements that promote child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in India, echoing earlier findings by a BBC Eye investigation which identified similar ads on Instagram.
The BBC Eye probe initially revealed that Instagram, which is owned by Meta, was displaying paid adverts that appeared to promote sexual images of minors in India. The follow-up report says such advertisements remain active on the company’s platforms, suggesting the problem has not been fully addressed.
The continued presence of paid ads linked to CSAM highlights the difficulties technology companies face in policing a vast volume of user content and commercial promotions. Paid advertising systems rely on automated processes and human review, but critics say those mechanisms can fail to catch illicit material or remove it quickly enough.
The report’s findings are likely to intensify scrutiny from rights groups, child protection advocates and regulators in India and internationally, who have been increasingly focused on platform accountability for harmful content. The revelations may prompt calls for more rigorous ad vetting, faster takedown procedures and stronger enforcement of existing laws aimed at protecting children.
Meta has previously faced criticism over content moderation across its services and the effectiveness of its safety controls. The latest report will add to ongoing debates about how social media companies detect and prevent the distribution of CSAM while balancing automated systems, human oversight and legal obligations.
Further developments may include inquiries by regulators or new steps by civil society organisations to press for remedial action, but the report itself does not detail any specific measures taken since the BBC Eye investigation to eliminate the offending advertisements.