NEW DELHI: Meta on Tuesday announced a fresh set of measures to combat child exploitation across its platforms, days after the Indian government issued a notice over Instagram advertisements allegedly carrying child sexual abuse material, increasing pressure on the company to strengthen its online safety mechanisms.
In a blog post, Meta said it had identified and disabled several offending advertisements and accounts before the issue was publicly highlighted. A subsequent internal investigation led to the removal of additional advertisements, the suspension of more accounts and the blocking of URLs linked to content that violated its policies.
The company said it uses artificial intelligence to detect accounts sharing suspicious off-platform links and other signals associated with child exploitation. “In the last six months alone, this led to the removal of 160,000 accounts in India,” Meta said.
Responding to allegations that its advertising systems deliberately targeted users with an inappropriate interest in children, Meta denied the claims, saying its technology is designed to identify suspicious behaviour. The company added that it removed more than four million accounts globally last year for potentially suspicious activity related to children.
Meta said it combines automated detection systems with manual reviews to screen advertisements and monitor advertiser behaviour. Businesses found violating its advertising or community standards may face restrictions or be barred from advertising across its platforms.
The company also highlighted its investments in artificial intelligence to strengthen content moderation, saying its AI-powered systems now support enforcement in languages spoken by 98% of internet users worldwide.
Meta said it remains committed to working with law enforcement agencies and industry partners while continuing to invest in new technologies, intelligence-sharing initiatives and stronger safeguards to help protect children online.
