“Non-negotiable,” says the Centre: Meta agrees to a new child safety commitment

Government sources say the Centre remains in talks with other platforms too, and will act against those that fall short

September 15, 2026

The commitment follows Meta India's appearance before the NCPCR on September 9 over alleged ad safeguard failures

Meta to report CSAM cases directly to Indian police, not just US agency

Meta will now report child sexual abuse cases directly to Indian law enforcement instead of routing them only through a US-based agency, as the Centre calls child safety “non-negotiable” for platforms operating in India

Meta has agreed to report child sexual abuse and other child safety-related cases to appropriate law enforcement agencies in India, government sources told ANI on Tuesday, calling it a first step toward stronger safeguards for children on digital platforms. The government made clear that online child safety is a “fundamental principle” for any social media platform operating in the country, and stressed there is no room for compromise on the issue.

A Shift From Reporting Only To A US Body

Until now, Meta has reported instances of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) primarily to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), a US-based organisation that then coordinates with agencies globally to track down offenders. Meta‘s decision to also report such cases directly to Indian law enforcement marks a meaningful shift, though government sources were candid that this is only an initial step and “much more needs to be done.”

Part Of A Wider Government Push

The commitment comes amid the Centre’s broader, sustained engagement with social media platforms over harmful online content. Sources said the government is not limiting its scrutiny to Meta alone — it remains in active discussions with other platforms as well, pushing all of them toward proactive identification and removal of content that puts children at risk. Officials have also warned that platforms failing to take adequate protective measures could face action, underlining that compliance with Indian law on this front will not be negotiable.

The Backdrop: A Recent NCPCR Summons

The development follows closely on the heels of Meta India’s managing director and head of public policy appearing before the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on September 9, after the commission took suo motu cognisance of a BBC Eye report alleging gaps in Meta’s ad safeguards related to CSEAM content. Meta’s global executives were also separately summoned to India as part of the Centre’s wider push for faster takedowns, stronger safeguards, and greater platform accountability.

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