For the second time in a week, Meta has come under the scanner of the Indian government. This matter has come to light after the notice on WhatsApp’s proposed username feature, and now preparations are on to summon the company over allegations of pornographic ads related to children on Instagram. Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has directed officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to seek answers from Meta. The action is being taken following a BBC investigation which claimed that paid advertisements on Instagram were directing users to Telegram channels, where alleged child sexual abuse content was being sold for ₹99. The government now wants to understand how such ads escaped Instagram’s review system and what steps the company took to stop them.
**Headlines**
The central government is preparing to summon Meta over the issue of alleged pornographic advertisements involving children on Instagram.
A BBC investigation has claimed that some paid advertisements on Instagram were directing users to Telegram channels, where objectionable content was being sold for ₹99.
MeitY will ask Meta how these ads passed its review system and what steps were taken to stop them.
Earlier this week, the government had also issued a notice on WhatsApp’s proposed username feature and tried to stop its rollout.
India is Meta’s largest market, with over a billion users across WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook combined.
According to Statista, Meta’s market value is approximately $1.48 trillion, and the company’s revenue was projected to reach $200.1 billion by 2025.
**For the second time in a week, Meta is under the scanner of the government**
For the second time this week, the central government has adopted a strict stance against Meta. Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has directed MeitY officials to call the company and seek clarification on the entire matter. The ministry wants to know how the alleged child pornographic ads appeared on Instagram, as every ad has to go through the company’s review system. The government will also seek information about the concrete steps taken so far by Meta to prevent such incidents. According to sources, the ministry will seek detailed clarification from the company and will also want to know about its future action plan.
A BBC investigation has found that paid ads containing terms such as “child video” and “rape video” were appearing on Instagram in India. Clicking on these advertisements took users to Telegram channels, where child pornography content was allegedly being sold for ₹99. According to the report, BBC investigated by creating a new Instagram account in India. Within days, pornographic posts began appearing on the account and then advertisements depicting children in objectionable ways. BBC claimed that it has shared information about about 30 such advertisements and their associated Telegram channels with Indian authorities.
**What did Meta say when questions were raised on the review system?**
The report states that every advertisement on Instagram goes live only after getting approval from the company’s moderation and review system. Nevertheless, such advertisements appeared on the platform. According to the BBC, when it reported one of these ads, Instagram responded about 24 hours later that it did not violate its community guidelines. Later, Meta admitted that there was no fault in the system. The company said it has removed several ads, suspended the accounts that posted them, blocked several URLs and taken action against other accounts that violate its policies.
**The government has also taken a tough stance on the username feature of WhatsApp**
Ahead of the Instagram controversy, the central government had also issued a notice to Meta this week regarding WhatsApp’s proposed username feature. The government argues that the feature could increase the risk of cyber crimes such as online fraud, phishing and “digital arrest” scams – as well as identity theft. The IT Ministry has directed Meta not to implement this feature until the government completes its negotiations. The ministry has also asked the company why action should not be taken against it under the Information Technology Act and related rules. After receiving the notice, a team from Meta met MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and IT) officials. The company has been given three days to give a detailed reply.
India is Meta’s largest market; Impact on millions of users
India is considered to be the largest market for META worldwide. According to Statista and other digital reports, Meta has more than a billion users combined across WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Threads in India. WhatsApp alone has more than 60 crore (600 million) users in the country. The number of Instagram users is said to be more than 410 million (410 million), while some reports put its advertising reach at more than 480 million (480 million) and an estimated reach of 550 million (550 million). The user base of Facebook is also around 40 to 50 crores (400 to 500 million). Data from June 2026 shows that Facebook alone has about 70.68 crore (706.8 million) users in India, with people in the 25-34 age group being the most active on social media. This is why any dispute related to Meta directly affects millions of Indian users.
Young users and male dominance
According to the Digital Audience Report, the largest segment of Meta’s user base in India is made up of 25 to 34 year olds, at around 33.3 percent. This is followed by people in the age group of 18-24, who are considered to be the most active users. The report shows that about 63 percent of Meta’s total user base is made up of people under 35 years of age. On the basis of gender, about 68 to 70 percent of the users are men, while the share of women is 30 to 32 percent. This explains why issues related to security and content control are such a hot topic of discussion on platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp.
Scope of Meta’s impact – and questions arising now
According to Statista, the market value of Meta is approximately $1.48 trillion. The company’s total assets exceed $366 billion, while its net worth – or total equity – is approximately $217 billion. In 2025, the company is projected to report annual revenues of approximately $200.1 billion and net profits of $60.46 billion. Despite being one of the largest tech companies in the world, Meta now faces continued government scrutiny and accountability in India. Earlier, questions were raised about the features of WhatsApp, and now the issue of allegedly obscene advertisements related to children on Instagram has emerged as a new challenge for the company.
