The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has tightened the compliance spotlight on social media platforms after reports of advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, appearing online. The issue matters because India’s digital safety framework already places legal duties on intermediaries to remove harmful content, and the present response tests how quickly those duties are enforced.

What happened

The Government has taken serious note of reports alleging dissemination of advertisements linked to CSAM on social media platforms and has sought a detailed report from the concerned intermediary. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also issued notice to concerned social media platforms.

Legal and regulatory background

India’s main legal base for online content control is the Information Technology Act, 2000, read with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The Government says this framework is intended to ensure an open, safe, trusted, and accountable internet for users, including women and children.

The Information Technology Act, 2000 provides punishment for cyber offences such as identity theft under Section 66C, cheating by personation under Section 66D, violation of privacy under Section 66E, and publishing or transmitting obscene or sexually explicit content under Sections 67, 67A, and 67B. The Act also empowers police to investigate offences under Sections 78 and 80.

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