Warning: This article contains real-world examples of abuse.
A BBC investigation has found that Instagram authorized and displayed paid ads promoting child sexual abuse (CSAM) material to users in India, raising new questions about the effectiveness of Meta’s moderation systems and the growing challenge of policing illegal content on social media.
The investigation, carried out by BBC Eye, found dozens of ads containing the words “rape video” and “child video.” The ads directed users to Telegram channels where illegal content was allegedly sold for 99 Indian rupees (about $1).
Paid ads have moved to Meta moderation systems
According to the BBC, the ads appeared on a newly created Instagram account created specifically to investigate how the platform recommends sexual content. After following a small number of accounts that posted offensive but normal content, the account started receiving graphic ads.
Within days, Instagram began showing ads with adult pornography before progressing to ads featuring children in sexually suggestive situations directly linked to Telegram channels selling CSAM. In total, the BBC recorded around 30 unique ads promoting child sexual abuse, and around 20 ads featuring adult pornography.
In one case, the BBC reported on an ad showing a distressed little girl accompanied by text suggesting she had been sexually abused. Twenty-four hours later, Instagram responded that the ad did not violate community guidelines and would remain online. Only after the BBC contacted Meta for comment did the company block several ads, suspend related accounts, remove additional infringing content, and block related URLs.
Meta acknowledged that “no system is perfect” and said it continues to improve its automated detection technology while reporting flagrant cases of child exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) as required by law. The company rejected suggestions that it was deliberately targeting such ads to users and described child exploitation as a “horrific crime” it is working to combat.
Critics question the balance as Telegram also faces scrutiny
The investigation also highlighted Telegram’s role in distribution. The BBC has reported two Telegram channels selling child abuse videos. One was removed after being reported, while the other continues to upload new content. The Telegraph told the BBC it was using both automated systems and human moderators to remove CSAM and said it had taken down more than 274,000 groups and channels linked to such material by 2026.
The findings prompted strong reactions from legal experts and former Meta executives. Retired Indian Supreme Court Justice Madan Lokur described the issue as serious enough for India’s Supreme Court to intervene, arguing that social networks cannot avoid liability simply because users upload illegal content.
Former Facebook boss Brian Boland, who helped build the company’s advertising business before leaving in 2020, told the BBC he was “shocked and not surprised” by the findings. Boland argued that Instagram’s recommendation systems prioritize engagement and revenue, warning that without strong safeguards, such systems could inadvertently promote increasingly extreme content.
The investigation also draws attention to the scale of the problem in India. According to the report, the country received 1.9 million CyberTipline reports related to child sexual abuse material by 2025, second only to the United States. Indian cybercrime officials and child protection organizations told the BBC that Meta platforms generate a large proportion of these reports, while also noting that strong international cooperation is needed to dismantle the criminal networks responsible for the production and distribution of the material.
