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India orders Meta to pull Instagram child-sex ads

7/6/2026

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Summary

India Orders Meta

India’s electronics ministry ordered Meta to remove Instagram ads promoting child sexual exploitation material on July 4, 2026.
Meta must detail ad approval and new safeguards by July 11, 2026.
A BBC probe found the ads used terms such as “rape video” and linked users to Telegram channels selling material for INR99.
Meta disabled the ads, suspended the accounts and blocked the URLs.
Meta affirmed a zero-tolerance policy for such content.

Summary

India Pauses WhatsApp

The technology ministry ordered Meta to pause WhatsApp’s new “username” feature because it could raise fraud, scams and impersonation.
Officials gave Meta three days to submit a detailed explanation of the feature under the IT Act’s due-diligence obligations.
Meta released a FAQ that lists safeguards it will add to prevent impersonation and unwanted contact when usernames are reserved later this year.

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India Orders Meta

India’s electronics ministry ordered Meta to remove Instagram ads promoting child sexual exploitation material on July 4, 2026.
Meta must detail ad approval and new safeguards by July 11, 2026.
A BBC probe found the ads used terms such as “rape video” and linked users to Telegram channels selling material for INR99.
Meta disabled the ads, suspended the accounts and blocked the URLs.
Meta affirmed a zero-tolerance policy for such content.

1 / 2