Tech giant Meta will now report child safety-related matters directly to the cybercrime portal managed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), a Meta spokesperson said on Tuesday, as the company reiterated its commitment to tackling online child exploitation and related crimes.
“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 comes as part of Meta’s efforts to strengthen coordination with Indian authorities in addressing concerns related to child safety and online crimes.
Meta operates several major social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, where it has implemented measures aimed at detecting and preventing harmful content involving children.
The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, works towards strengthening the country’s response to cybercrime through coordination among law enforcement agencies, capacity building and technology-driven solutions.
The development comes as the government continues to focus on improving accountability of digital platforms and ensuring that online intermediaries take adequate measures to prevent the spread of harmful content, especially content affecting children.
Earlier, on September 9, Representatives of Meta India arrived at the office of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) after the child rights body summoned the company’s Managing Director and Head of Meta India in connection with an inquiry into alleged advertisements related to Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM).
Meta submitted its response to the Commission a week after the notice was issued.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had earlier directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive probe into allegations that paid advertisements on Meta-owned Instagram promoted Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in India.
The NHRC also directed the police to examine whether the technology company and other concerned entities complied with mandatory reporting obligations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
-ANI
