Arabic version: إنستغرام يواجه ردود فعل سلبية بسبب الترويج لإعلانات إساءة الأطفال في الهند
A BBC investigation has revealed that Instagram has been running paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material in India. These ads, which included terms like “rape video” and “child video,” directed users to channels on the messaging app Telegram where such content could be purchased for as little as 99 rupees (approximately $1). According to BBC News, Instagram’s moderation technology is supposed to approve ads before they are published, yet several advertisements promoting illegal content managed to bypass this system.
When the BBC reported one of the ads to Instagram, the platform responded within 24 hours, stating that the post did not violate its community guidelines. However, after further inquiries, Meta, Instagram’s parent company, acknowledged the issue, stating it had disabled several adverts and suspended the accounts responsible for them. The company admitted that its review process may not detect all policy violations, emphasizing the ongoing need for improvement in its moderation systems.
The investigation revealed that Instagram’s algorithm was displaying increasingly sexualized content, including ads featuring children in inappropriate situations. One ad depicted a young girl appearing distressed, indicating she had been sexually assaulted. Critics, including a retired justice of India’s Supreme Court, Madan Lokur, expressed concern over Instagram profiting from what they deemed criminal activities. They argued that the platform has a responsibility to ensure such content is not allowed to circulate.
In response to the findings, Telegram noted it had removed over 274,000 groups and channels related to child sexual abuse material in 2026. However, it faced criticism for not doing enough to prevent the spread of such content. Telegram stated it employs both automated and human moderation to combat child sexual abuse material on its platform.
The revelations come as Meta relies heavily on advertisements for revenue, with nearly 98% of its $200 billion earnings attributed to this source. Critics of Instagram’s algorithm have pointed out that the platform’s design encourages the display of more extreme content to retain user engagement, raising alarms about user safety and the company’s ethical responsibilities.
