India tightens child safety rules: Meta agrees to report child sexual abuse cases
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This illustration photograph shows the logo of the US multinational technology Meta company displayed on a smartphone in Mulhouse, eastern France on February 11, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Meta will report child safety matters directly to India's I4C cybercrime portal as governments in India, the US and Europe step up measures to make social media platforms safer for children.
Tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has agreed to report child safety-related matters directly to India's cybercrime portal as the Centre steps up efforts to hold social media platforms accountable for protecting children online.
A Meta spokesperson said on Tuesday (Sept 15) that the company remains committed to tackling online child exploitation and related crimes. The company said it would work with Indian authorities to strengthen its response to cases involving child safety.
"Protecting children on our platforms is a priority for us, and we’re committed to working with the government to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are held responsible," the Meta spokesperson said.
"To collectively strengthen our efforts to combat this harm, Meta will now report child safety matters directly to the Cybercrime portal managed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C)," the spokesperson added.
The move is aimed at strengthening coordination between Meta and Indian authorities over child safety concerns and online crimes. The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs and works with law enforcement agencies on cybercrime prevention and response.
Meta faces scrutiny over child safety
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The development comes amid growing government scrutiny of social media platforms over the safety of children online. Government sources said online safety for children is a fundamental requirement for social media platforms operating in India and described it as "non-negotiable".
"Online safety of children is a fundamental principle for any social media platform to operate in India, and it is non-negotiable," the sources said.
Meta representatives appeared before the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on September 9 after the child rights body summoned the company's Managing Director and Head of Meta India. The appearance was linked to an inquiry into alleged advertisements related to Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material on Meta's platforms.
Also Read: Meta reaches $16.7 billion settlement with US states over teen safety and addictive design
Countries tighten social media rules for children
In the United States, Meta agreed in August to a settlement worth up to $16.68 billion with 29 states over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were designed in ways that contributed to harm among young users. The settlement also includes changes aimed at strengthening protections for children and teenagers. Meta has denied wrongdoing.
Several countries have also moved to restrict children's access to social media or strengthen protections for young users. Australia has already introduced restrictions on social media access for children under 16, while other countries including France and the UK have considered measures targeting children's use of online platforms.
The European Union is also preparing the EU Kids Act, which is expected to propose restrictions on access to social media, video-sharing platforms, AI chatbots and online games for children under 15. The proposed framework would introduce age-based access rules and require digital platforms to adopt stronger safety measures for children.
The proposed EU rules would also seek to make digital services safer by design, including measures targeting features considered potentially addictive. However, the proposal would still have to go through the EU legislative process before becoming law.
