Meta to Report Child Safety Matters Directly to India's Cybercrime Center

Meta has confirmed it will now report child safety matters directly to India's national cybercrime reporting portal, managed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). This announcement signifies a shift from the previous practice where such reports were channeled through the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

A Meta spokesperson stated that protecting children on its platforms is a priority, and the company is committed to working with the government to hold perpetrators accountable. The specifics of how this direct reporting will operate, or if it fully replaces the NCMEC route, remain undisclosed.

The existing arrangement involved a memorandum of understanding signed in 2019 between India's National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and NCMEC. This established channel has facilitated the forwarding of numerous reports to relevant Indian states and territories.

This development occurs amidst increased scrutiny of Meta's child safety practices. The company faced criticism following a BBC investigation alleging that Instagram carried advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Indian regulatory bodies, including the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), have since engaged with Meta regarding these concerns.