Now Reading: India must break organised chain of online child sexual abuse, says expert
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India must break organised chain of online child sexual abuse, says expert
India must break organised chain of online child sexual abuse, says expert
India's fight against online child sexual exploitative and abusive material must target the entire organised chain, from recruiters to platforms to consumers, and not just remove illegal content, according to an opinion piece authored by Dr B Keerthi. The Supreme Court in 2024 ruled that downloading or viewing such material is a criminal offence and that platforms like Meta cannot claim safe harbour if they fail legal obligations.
A recent investigation found paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material on Instagram, which the platform initially ruled did not violate its guidelines. The government ordered Meta to remove such ads. With India having the world's largest Instagram user base of over 413 million, the piece warns that recommendation algorithms create dangerous feedback loops that amplify demand, while law enforcement remains ill-equipped to dismantle the criminal networks involved.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Supreme Court's 2024 ruling in Just Rights for Children Alliance v. S. Harish removed safe harbour for platforms hosting child sexual abuse material, but enforcement remains weak. India's 413 million Instagram users, the largest base globally, create a massive surface area for algorithmic amplification. The real test is whether the government's order to Meta will be followed by prosecution of intermediaries under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, which mandates reporting of such content. Watch for the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's next compliance notice and any Criminal Procedure Code FIRs against platform executives, which would signal a shift from takedowns to criminal accountability.
Source: telanganatoday.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
