Top Meta India executives, including chief Arun Srinivas, appeared before the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for the second time in a week regarding alleged Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) related advertisements on its platforms. Meta has committed to reporting child safety matters directly to India's I4C cybercrime portal, a significant shift from its previous practice of reporting to a US-based centre. The government is pushing for stronger safeguards and accountability from social media platforms to ensure online child safety.
Senior executives from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, appeared before India's child rights body, NCPCR, for questioning regarding alleged advertisements promoting child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM) on its platforms. This follows a BBC report and a stern notice from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to Meta over the issue.
Meta has agreed to report child safety-related matters, including child sexual abuse cases, to appropriate law enforcement agencies in India, government sources confirmed, emphasising that online safety for children is a "non-negotiable" fundamental principle for social media platforms operating in the country.
The company's India head, Arun Srinivas, has been summoned by the child rights body on Thursday.
Government sources state that Meta, due to its algorithmic amplification of content, can no longer be considered a "simple intermediary" but rather a "service provider," implying greater responsibility and potential loss of legal immunity. This shift comes as Meta commits to directly reporting child abuse content to Indian law enforcement, amidst increasing government scrutiny over harmful online content and algorithmic bias.
The Rajasthan government has issued an order restricting the entry of outsiders into government schools and barring photography and videography without prior permission, a move that follows protests over poor conditions and an announced inspection by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
A case has been registered against a teacher at a government school in Gurugram following accusations of molestation and inappropriate remarks by several class 9 students.
Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy has directed the DGP to form special teams and expedite the investigation into the POCSO case against Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar's son, following allegations of sexual harassment of a minor girl. The CM has sought an explanation for the delay in action despite the complaint being registered earlier.
Nagaland is seeking to implement the Juvenile Justice Act and Adoption Regulations in a way that respects the state's customary laws and traditional systems of care, while remaining legally sound.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed a thorough investigation into the POCSO case registered against Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar's son, following allegations of sexual harassment of a minor girl. The CM has sought an explanation for the delay in action and ordered the DGP to form special teams for the investigation.
Arunachal Pradesh Women and Child Development Minister Dasanglu Pul launched a child rights awareness initiative to promote a safe, child-friendly environment across the state. The initiative includes pamphlets educating children, parents, and teachers on key child protection laws.
The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights is recommending that the state government mandate the inclusion of the bride and groom's date of birth on wedding invitations to combat child marriages.
Private schools failing to provide these facilities risk de-recognition
The police have recovered the child and booked both the families under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The officer also said the couple has been arrested.
Days after a newborn girl died at the government-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH) in Indore, a tribal outfit on Monday claimed rats had gnawed her four fingers, and accused the medical facility's administration of lying and misleading everyone.
Contradictory statements from officials have surfaced regarding the post mortem examination in the case of two infants who died after being bitten by rats at a government-run hospital in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The incident has triggered investigations and disciplinary actions.
The Supreme Court of India has referred the matter of the Right to Education (RTE) Act's applicability to minority schools to a larger bench for adjudication, expressing concerns about potential misuse and fragmentation of the education system.
The top court said the NCPCR was empowered to conduct enquiry and take action in accordance with law under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
The organisation has challenged the action of Uttar Pradesh and Tripura governments directing that students of unrecognised madrassas should be shifted to government schools.
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has once again found himself at the center of a controversy, this time for his comments about Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kamra has been a controversial figure for years, with his comedy often targeting politicians and other public figures. This latest incident has led to a backlash from Shinde's supporters, who have vandalized the venue of Kamra's show. Kamra has a history of making controversial remarks, including heckling a TV anchor on a flight and making comments about the judiciary.
The then Uttar Pradesh chief secretary, Durga Shankar Mishra, in an order dated June 26 and issued to all the district magistrates of the state, cited a letter from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights dated June 7.
Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) has advised singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh, set to perform in Chandigarh on Saturday, to refrain from singing alcohol-themed songs during his live show, citing their adverse impact on children of impressionable age.
The report indicates that the miscreants forcibly entered her house and physically assaulted her. Shockingly, they also snatched her infant daughter and callously threw her away, the commission said.
Villagers alleged that a seven-month-old child was snatched from her mother's lap and thrown away by miscreants in Sandeshkhali.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights with the Association of Voluntary Action, also known as Bachpan Bachao Andolan, led the crackdown at Som Distillery on Saturday, a release stated.
Seeking to make changes in the process of granting recognition to madrassas, Uttar Pradesh Minority Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has said that two universities will be opened in the state and all madrassas will be affiliated to them.
The Badlapur school, where two young girls were allegedly sexually abused, preferred to cover up the crime instead of helping their parents file a police complaint, said Susieben Shah, chairperson of Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, on Wednesday.
The police, however, rubbished Kanoongo's allegation and said officers had cooperated with him, and it was the NCPCR chief who "misbehaved" with them.
The observations came from a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala while reserving the verdict on an appeal filed by NGOs -- Just Rights for Children Alliance of Faridabad and New Delhi-based Bachpan Bachao Andolan -- challenging a Madras high court verdict.
A delegation of the NCSC had visited Sandeshkhali on Thursday after a large number of women claimed that TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters captured swathes of land by force and also sexually harassed them.
Edtech major Byju's has denied charges that it purchased students' databases and clarified that it relies on app users, walk-ins and incoming requests for consultation. The statement from Byju's comes against the backdrop of summons issued to the company by child rights body National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). "Byju's strongly denies the allegation that it purchases students' databases.
Police have taken into a custody an autorickshaw driver in connection with the rape of a girl, who was found bleeding on a street in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain city, and five others are also being questioned in the case, a senior official said on Thursday.
With rising incomes, education, and health awareness in India, especially in the big cities, droves of people are saying no to sugar.
Violent protests over the death of two youths in Manipur continued till the early hours of Thursday with a mob vandalising the deputy commissioner's office in Imphal West and torching two four-wheelers, officials said.
Kamra had shared the purported video of Modi's interaction in Germany with the child but he replaced the song that the boy sang -- 'Janmabhoomi Bharat' -- with "Mehengayi daayan khaaye jaat hain", a Bollywood song about price rise.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights demanded Sony Pictures Networks take down an episode of the dance reality show Super Dancer Chapter 3 where judges were allegedly seen asking a minor 'vulgar and sexually explicit' questions regarding his parents on stage.
Police have already arrested the teacher, and the principal of the school.
Byju's is set to go the way of Housing.com and Zilingo. It is only a matter of time. Indeed, the coup attempted by investors will ensure that, says Debashis Basu.
The Delhi high court on Thursday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take down his social media post which revealed the identity of a minor Dalit girl, raped and murdered in 2021, so that the child's identity is protected worldwide.
Of the four assistant sub-inspectors, three are from Kaliaganj Police Station and one is from Raiganj Police Station.
