Add MobiGyaan as a preferred source on Google
Meta has responded to recent reports concerning Instagram advertisements in India that allegedly violated its policies on child exploitation, stating that it has removed the offending content, disabled associated accounts, and taken additional enforcement actions following an internal investigation.
According to the company, several of the violating advertisements and advertiser accounts had already been detected and removed by its automated enforcement systems before the reports became public. Meta said it subsequently removed additional ads, disabled more accounts, and blocked URLs linked to policy-violating content.
The company also rejected claims that it knowingly targeted advertisements featuring children to users with an inappropriate interest in children. Instead, Meta said it uses automated systems to identify accounts exhibiting potentially suspicious behaviour involving children, adding that more than 4 million such accounts were removed globally last year.
Ad Review & Policy Enforcement
Meta said it relies on a combination of automated systems and human reviewers to enforce its advertising policies.
Advertisements are reviewed before publication using automated detection systems, while users can also report ads they believe violate company policies. Ads remain subject to continuous review after publication and may be removed or restricted if violations are identified later.
The review process covers all aspects of an advertisement, including:
- Images
- Videos
- Text
- Destination URLs
Meta also monitors advertiser behaviour by reviewing Business Accounts, ad accounts, Pages, and associated user accounts. If policy violations are found, the company may reject advertisements or restrict advertisers from using Meta’s advertising platforms.
According to Meta, both its Community Standards and Advertising Standards prohibit child nudity, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, and inappropriate interactions involving minors.
Enforcement Figures
Meta shared several statistics highlighting its enforcement efforts against child exploitation across its platforms.
According to the company:
- More than 4 million suspicious Facebook and Instagram accounts were automatically removed globally last year.
- Around 36 million pieces of child exploitation-related content were removed globally during the same period.
- AI-powered detection systems led to the removal of 160,000 accounts in India over the past six months after identifying suspicious off-platform links and other behavioural signals.
- Between October and December 2025, Meta removed 13 million pieces of child sexual exploitation content across Facebook and Instagram, with over 96% detected proactively before user reports.
Reporting & Transparency
Meta said cases involving apparent child exploitation are reported to law enforcement through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), in accordance with applicable laws.
For India, the company said reports are submitted by NCMEC to the national cybercrime reporting portal under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2021 and related regulations.
The company also publishes:
- Community Standards Enforcement Reports covering proactive detection and content removals
- Monthly transparency reports for India under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021
These reports include information on enforcement actions across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, proactive detection rates, user grievances, and government orders. Meta added that it has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer, Grievance Officer, and Nodal Contact Person as required under India’s IT Rules.
Industry Collaboration
Meta also highlighted several initiatives aimed at combating child exploitation online.
Lantern, an initiative led by the Tech Coalition, enables participating technology companies to share signals related to predatory accounts and behaviour. According to Meta, more than 2 million signals had been shared through Lantern by the end of 2025, resulting in over 350,000 enforcement actions across participating platforms.
The company also said it blocks links directing users to third-party websites hosting child exploitation material and shares violating URLs with participating companies through Lantern.
Additionally, Meta highlighted its support for Take It Down, a tool developed by NCMEC that helps prevent the online spread of intimate images involving young people.
Meta said it will continue investing in AI-based detection systems, advertising review technologies, and collaboration with law enforcement agencies and industry partners to combat child exploitation across its platforms.
