Centre tells Meta safe harbour won’t protect CSAM violations, seeks India-specific content moderation

New Delhi, August 18, 2026; The Centre has told Meta that legal protections available to online intermediaries cannot be relied upon in cases involving violations linked to child sexual abuse material (CSAM), government sources said on Tuesday.

During discussions with Meta representatives, the government stressed that its interventions have been undertaken within the powers provided by existing laws and regulations. Officials also emphasised that the Centre’s approach is focused on preventing unlawful activity online rather than imposing blanket restrictions on legitimate expression.

The government has further asked Meta to make its content moderation systems more responsive to India’s diverse linguistic, cultural and social environment. Officials said moderation practices developed around global benchmarks may not always adequately address the country’s varied local contexts.

According to government sources, Meta has shown greater caution in dealing with CSAM-related material and is taking steps to identify and remove content that violates the law. The Centre has maintained that social media companies must ensure their platforms do not become channels for material that could harm users or create wider social concerns.

The government has also pointed to India’s constitutional framework, under which freedom of speech is subject to reasonable restrictions. Officials noted that questions surrounding the responsibilities of large technology platforms, online safety and unlawful digital content are being debated in several democratic countries.

The latest discussions follow increased scrutiny of Meta’s platforms over the handling of illegal material and the responsibilities of intermediaries. In July, the government issued a notice to Meta concerning advertisements appearing on Instagram that were allegedly connected with the promotion or facilitation of access to CSAM. The platform was asked to remove such material and submit details of the action taken.

The Centre had subsequently said that Meta’s response was being examined before any decision on further steps.

The government’s latest position is also consistent with its earlier warning to major social media platforms. In October 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued notices to X, YouTube and Telegram concerning CSAM. The ministry had cautioned that intermediaries failing to respond promptly to such illegal content could risk losing the protection available under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act.

Officials have also highlighted the need for greater transparency around artificial intelligence-generated content. According to government sources, synthetic or AI-generated material should carry appropriate identification so that users can distinguish it from authentic content.

The Centre is expected to continue monitoring developments involving illegal online material, intermediary responsibility, user protection and emerging technologies, including the growing use of generative artificial intelligence.