CSAM DETECTION
Startup of the Year Groww bets on scale; Qcomm sparks festive credit surge
Happy Thursday! Groww is betting its newer businesses will take a bigger slice of its income. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Meta deploys new AI tools to combat child exploitation on Facebook, Instagram
Meta said the new measures are designed to identify advertisements that either feature child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or covertly direct users to violating activity hosted outside its platforms.
Meta to report child abuse cases to law enforcement in India: sources
This comes after the Indian government held regular meetings with Meta on technical measures since last month when Meta’s global executives were summoned to India over a host of issues, including the spread of child abuse content online.
India may need data pact with US to tighten CSAM crackdown
To effectively tackle child abuse material investigations, India might require a formal data-sharing agreement with the United States. US social media platforms typically direct reports to NCMEC, adhering to legal limitations. However, delays from NCMEC's CyberTipline in submitting reports to India have sparked debate. Experts propose the temporary sharing of metadata from additional tips. Collaborative dialogues among platforms, NCMEC, and I4C are essential to address these differences.
India may need data pact with US to tighten CSAM crackdown
Two years after the Supreme Court clarified that reporting suspected CSAM to a foreign organisation does not absolve a platform of criminal liability under Indian laws for failing to notify local authorities, US social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, X and Snap continue to send such reports only to US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the sources said.
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India asks Meta to revamp algorithms, submit roadmap to fight deepfakes
MeitY has directed Meta to revamp algorithms and provide a compliance roadmap. Officials also asked Meta to tighten content moderation and act faster on takedown requests. The directive came after Meta admitted gaps in its current systems for harmful content. Discussions focused on algorithmic changes to limit propaganda and manipulated media spread.
Meta must follow Indian law, not just global rules, say government sources after MeitY talks
India's government clarified Meta platforms must follow Indian laws and not just global policies. Officials stressed the need for greater local input and language understanding for content moderation. Zero tolerance for child sexual abuse material requires stronger, proactive measures from Meta. Concerns were raised about deepfakes and the repeated reappearance of removed content.
MeitY asks Meta to revamp algorithms, curb deepfakes and illegal content on platforms: Government sources
India's MeitY has urged Meta to revise its algorithms and provide a compliance roadmap. The government seeks stronger detection and removal of harmful and manipulated content. Meta's technical team met with MeitY officials to discuss existing content moderation systems. The company acknowledged system gaps and outlined potential technical measures for synthetic content. Discussions continue as India tightens regulations on synthetically generated information.
Government says social media platforms must follow SOPs on child abuse material
Social media platforms must follow child abuse material reporting standards. Timely reporting and law enforcement coordination are key responsibilities. The government is examining Meta's response to Instagram ad concerns. Officials stated platform compliance with detection and reporting obligations is crucial. Future actions will be decided after assessing Meta's reply.
Meta reply to Government notice on CSAM ads received; appropriate action after examination: IT Secretary
Meity has received Meta's response regarding child sexual abuse material ads. The IT Ministry is currently examining the company's detailed explanation. Meta previously outlined its AI-powered efforts to combat such harmful content. The government had issued a stern notice demanding immediate action on Instagram. Appropriate measures will be decided after a thorough review of the reply.
Meta's reply over child sexual abuse material notice is under review: IT Secretary
Meta's response to a government notice regarding child sexual abuse material ads has been received. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is currently examining the company's reply. Instagram was previously ordered to disable all ads promoting access to CSEAM. Meta has outlined its efforts to combat child sexual abuse material across its platforms. Appropriate action will be taken after the examination of Meta's response.
Zostel hits Oyo IPO filings; PhonePe’s new CTO
Zostel asked Sebi to review Oyo’s IPO filings, escalating their dispute over the Zo Rooms acquisition. This and more in today's ETtech Top 5.
Meta removed four million accounts, 36 million posts over child exploitation
Addressing the controversy directly for the first time, Meta said it had already begun taking action before the issue was flagged publicly.
Meta CSAM breach triggers calls for digital safety rules overhaul
The notice to Meta has put the spotlight on India’s intermediary liability framework, triggering the question whether it is equipped to deal with paid advertisements that platforms actively review, target and monetise, unlike user-generated content they merely host.
ETtech Explainer: Inside the Instagram child sexual abuse ad controversy
Instagram has come under fire after a BBC investigation revealed it approved paid ads promoting child sexual abuse material, directing users to Telegram. India's IT Ministry has issued a notice to Meta, demanding an explanation for its ad review process and safeguards. Meta claims zero tolerance and has removed the ads, but the government awaits a detailed response within seven days before deciding on further action.
Govt issues notice to Meta over Instagram child abuse ads
The government sought a detailed explanation on the advertisements from the US-based social media firm Meta, which also owns Instagram. The paid advertisements on Instagram allegedly directed users to external platforms for unlawful child abuse material.
India issues stern notice to Meta over Instagram ads carrying child sexual abuse material
The Indian government has issued a stern notice to Meta, demanding an explanation after reports surfaced of child sexual abuse material appearing in paid advertisements on Instagram. This intensified scrutiny targets the social media giant's content moderation and ad approval systems. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to investigate how such content was displayed, raising serious concerns about platform safety policies and enforcement.
Telegram gets 15-day notice from I&B Ministry to curb pirated films and copyrighted content
The government has issued a stern notice to Telegram, demanding it bolster systems to combat pirated films and copyrighted content. The platform has 15 days to report on measures taken to detect, remove, and prevent such infringements. This move, aimed at protecting India's creator economy, follows previous actions against over 3,000 pirating channels and concerns over exam paper leaks.
Ashwini Vaishnaw directs MeitY to summon Meta regarding Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material
India's IT Ministry has summoned Meta over allegations that Instagram ads promoted child sexual abuse material. Officials are also concerned about WhatsApp's usernames feature being used for phishing and scams, prompting a demand for a pause on the feature's rollout. Meanwhile, the government is also investigating a cyberattack at Tata Electronics and considering an independent law for AI regulation.
Meta ends end-to-end encryption for Instagram DMs: what this means
Instagram had introduced the optional end-to-end encryption in December 2023. Users had to enable it manually per chat, unlike the default encryption available on WhatsApp or Messenger. After May 8, these chats will revert to the unencrypted mode, giving Meta access to content for scanning and moderation. The move follows Instagram prioritising safety over secrecy, amid lawsuits over platform harms.
National Child Rights Commission using AI to combat online child abuse
NCPCR senior consultant K P J Gerald said integration of AI into the child protection system marks a "significant leap" in strengthening digital safety for children in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
AI-generated images of child sexual abuse are flooding the internet
AI-generated child sexual abuse material is surging, with lifelike images and videos increasingly difficult to detect. Reports have skyrocketed in 2025, prompting warnings from global watchdogs. Authorities say the flood of content is overwhelming investigators, while legal frameworks struggle to keep pace with the rapidly advancing and deeply disturbing technology.
CBI arrests man in child sexual assault case from Aizawl
The CBI arrested an individual in Aizawl, Mizoram, for sexually assaulting a minor and possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The arrest followed a CBI investigation initiated after identifying CSAM through international databases and cyber tipline reports. Forensic analysis revealed the assault, leading to the rescue of the victim who was threatened and exploited to create CSAM.
Complying with SC’s Pocso ruling may be hard for social media firms
The SC judgment mandates intermediaries to report child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to local authorities under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. However, intermediaries based in the US typically report to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), as they are restricted by US laws from sharing this data with foreign law enforcement.
Social media companies have seven days to tweak terms of use around deepfakes: Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Intermediaries will have to “explicitly” warn users that they cannot “host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share” any content that belongs to someone else, is defamatory, obscene, pornographic, paedophilic or invasive of another user’s privacy.
EU lawmakers back rules forcing Big Tech to tackle child pornography
The draft rule on child sexual abuse material (CSAM), proposed by the European Commission last year, has been a bone of contention between advocates of online safety measures and privacy activists worried about surveillance.
Google develops AI prototype to spot misinformation, abusive content online
Google on Thursday said it has developed a prototype that leverages recent advances in Large Language Models, or LLMs, to assist in identifying content abusive at scale.
No child sexual abuse material detected on our platform: YouTube after govt notice
The statement from YouTube spokesperson came after the government issued notices to social media platforms, including YouTube, X and Telegram, earlier this month asking them to takedown child sexual abuse material from their platforms in India.
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