The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued official notices to Meta and the police chiefs of eight states over grave allegations linking platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to age-inappropriate content, pornography and potentially Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). In stark terms, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said in a conversation that the circulation and availability of paid content containing CSAM on social media networks is a serious, punishable offence directly under the stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Kanoongo said such serious allegations are criminal and an official First Information Report (FIR) should be registered against Meta if it is clearly shown that such material violates domestic laws. The Human Rights Commission has also made the Information Technology Secretary a party to hold ministers accountable. The Commission says authorities have been issued with a list of 50 URLs related to the problematic material and directed regional police to immediately investigate, preserve crucial digital evidence and give action-taken reports.
The Commission has also issued hard warnings on administrative compliance and warned that inaction or delays on the part of law enforcement will invite higher-level intervention. The NHRC will approach the central government directly if the designated authorities do not initiate proper criminal investigations even if they are provided with URLs and evidence. The commission is going to urge the central administration to take administrative or penal action against police and ministry officials for dereliction of duty. Such a firm stance is a sign of the growing regulatory pressure on global technology intermediaries to carefully monitor, regulate and remove harmful or illegal material related to child safety in their digital ecosystems.
