Meta unveils new child safety measures after Indian government notice
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a fresh set of measures to combat child exploitation across its platforms. The move comes days after the Indian government issued a notice regarding Instagram advertisements that allegedly carried child sexual abuse material, putting further pressure on the company to strengthen its safety systems.
In a blog post, Meta stated that it had already identified and disabled several offending advertisements and accounts before the issue was raised publicly. A subsequent internal investigation led to the removal of additional ads, the disabling of more accounts, and the blocking of URLs linked to policy-violating content.
Meta said it uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools to detect accounts sharing suspicious off-platform links and other signals associated with child exploitation. According to the company, these efforts resulted in the removal of 160,000 accounts in India over the past six months alone.
Rejecting claims that its advertising systems deliberately targeted users with an inappropriate interest in children, Meta said its technology is designed to detect suspicious behaviour. The company revealed that it removed more than four million accounts globally last year for potentially suspicious activity related to children.
Meta noted that it combines automated systems with manual reviews to vet advertisements and monitor advertiser behaviour. Businesses violating its advertising or community standards may face restrictions or a ban from advertising across its platforms.
The company also highlighted its investments in AI to improve content enforcement, stating that its AI systems now support moderation in languages used by 98% of internet users worldwide.
Meta reiterated its commitment to working with law enforcement agencies and industry partners, while continuing to invest in new technologies, intelligence sharing, and stronger safeguards to protect children online.
