Instagram running ads promoting child sexual abuse material in India, BBC finds
Summary
A BBC investigation found that Instagram was showing paid ads in India promoting child sexual abuse material, linking to Telegram channels where such content could be purchased. Instagram’s parent company Meta has removed some ads and accounts after being notified but acknowledged its systems do not catch all violations.Key Facts
- Instagram displayed ads in India using terms like "rape video" and "child video" that linked to Telegram channels selling illegal content.
- These ads appeared even though Instagram’s automated system is supposed to approve ads before publication.
- BBC created a fake Instagram account in India to monitor sexualized content and began seeing such ads within a week.
- Meta, Instagram’s parent company, said it removed some of the ads, suspended accounts, and blocked related URLs after the BBC's report.
- Telegram reported removing over 274,000 groups related to child sexual abuse material in 2026.
- Some Instagram ads showed minors in sexually explicit situations and linked to Telegram channels selling the videos for as little as $1.
- Instagram initially told the BBC that some reported ads did not violate their community standards before later taking action.
- Both Instagram and Telegram have legal obligations to remove this content and report it to authorities, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
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