In a startling revelation, the Tech Transparency Project—an independent research initiative—has identified 332 adverts featuring child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that were run on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms. The bulk of these ads surfaced in August 2024, with a notable concentration in India.
Following a BBC investigation, the Indian government issued a directive ordering Meta to delete all CSAM content and ads from its platforms. Despite this, the new report indicates that several ads were still active, linking users to illicit AI‑driven apps and a messaging platform that reportedly sold CSAM for as little as 99 rupees.
Meta’s spokespersons claim robust automated and human review processes exist to detect and block violating content. However, many reports show that the platform’s systems failed to remove the ads in time, exposing thousands of users to disturbing content.
Human‑rights activists, such as Bhuwan Ribhu—a founder of the Just Rights for Children network—have urged India’s Supreme Court to mandate transparent reporting of CSAM by social‑media platforms. They argue that the current legal framework is insufficient to protect children from online exploitation.
Meanwhile, the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has received updates and is working with Meta to investigate the persistence of the ads. The scenario underscores the difficulty of policing CSAM across diversified global platforms and the need for more stringent reporting and enforcement mechanisms.
