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.
A senior Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka has been stripped of his position following child abuse allegations. Pallegama Hemarathana was arrested and later bailed after being accused of abusing a 15-year-old girl. The Malwatta chapter of monks suspended him pending judicial proceedings.
A non-profit organisation reports a rise in child abuse and gender-based violence cases across Pakistan in 2025, with Punjab province accounting for the majority of reported incidents.
A prominent Sri Lankan Buddhist monk has been remanded in custody following allegations of sexually abusing a minor girl within a temple complex. The monk, a chief priest of a prominent temple, will remain in remand until May 22.
India's IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to summon Meta regarding Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material, following a BBC investigation. This action comes shortly after the government also questioned Meta about WhatsApp's planned username feature, citing concerns over increased online fraud and cybercrimes.
Jharkhand CID arrested two individuals from Giridh district for circulating and selling online child sexual exploitative and abuse material to citizens of multiple foreign countries.
Meta on Tuesday published a detailed blog outlining its efforts to combat child sexual abuse material across its apps, citing AI-powered detection, ad review systems and large-scale enforcement actions, days after the government issued a notice to the social media giant over reports of Instagram advertisements promoting such content.
'Details of accounts such as the name, email id associated with the account, the IP address will now be shared with law enforcement agencies, which will help track down offenders faster.'
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.
A court in Barabanki has sentenced shopkeeper Ashok Kumar to life imprisonment for raping a two-year-old girl. The incident occurred in November 2023 when the child visited his shop. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict.
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.
Former snooker world champion Graeme Dott has been convicted of sexually abusing two children several decades ago following a trial in a Scottish court, with sentencing scheduled for next month.
The government has issued a stern notice to Meta on Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) in paid advertisements on Instagram, sources said on Sunday.
The Central Crime Branch in Chennai has uncovered evidence suggesting that granite businessman R Veeramani's alleged sexual harassment of minors may span over two decades, predating 2003. The investigation, which began with a 2019 video clip, has identified multiple survivors, leading to charges under the POCSO Act, IT Act, and SC/ST Act against Veeramani and two accomplices. The Child Welfare Committee is also monitoring the case for further action.
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 UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution, co-sponsored by India, to designate November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. This global initiative aims to raise awareness and accelerate efforts to combat this harmful practice, which disproportionately affects women and girls, hindering their education, health, and overall human rights.
The company's India head, Arun Srinivas, has been summoned by the child rights body on Thursday.
In a high-profile POCSO case, Chennai police have discovered more minor victims of sexual harassment allegedly by granite businessman R Veeramani, with investigators suspecting the abuse spans over two decades. Additional victims' statements have been recorded, and the case involves charges under POCSO, IT, and SC/ST Acts.
A three-year-old nursery student in Delhi was allegedly sexually assaulted by her school bus driver, leading to his arrest. Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and issued an advisory to schools regarding staff verification and vehicle use.
A POCSO court in Assam's Dhubri district has sentenced Utpal Ray to death for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in 2023, terming the crime "rarest of rare". The convict also received life imprisonment for rape and other sentences for related offences.
A Congress MLA in Madhya Pradesh has sparked a major controversy by alleging that staff at Rewa's Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital mortuary sexually abused the corpses of "beautiful" women and extorted money for post-mortems. The hospital administration has vehemently denied these claims as baseless, while the MLA insists an investigation will reveal the truth, citing a past incident where employees were sacked for irregularities.
According to the latest NCRB data, close acquaintances are the primary offenders in 96.6 per cent of child sexual abuse cases in India. The report highlights the involvement of family members, friends, and online contacts in these offences, with Tamil Nadu reporting the highest number of cases.
Experts urge internet platforms to adopt prevention-by-design and stronger AI systems to curb child sexual exploitation material and improve online child safety.
India's IT Secretary S Krishnan announced an upcoming meeting with Meta's global team to address critical issues including lapses in tackling Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), the temporary restriction of PM Modi's Facebook post, and concerns over synthetically generated information. The government expects Meta, as a leading tech company, to have robust systems to manage these challenges effectively.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has stated the state government's "zero tolerance" policy regarding the alleged abuse of toddlers at a Bengaluru daycare centre. An explanation has been sought from the company, and action will be taken based on the inquiry report. Five nannies have been arrested, and police are investigating the alleged physical and mental abuse.
The US on Monday announced that it had revoked more than 1.75 lakh visas during President Donald Trump's tenure for a range of crimes from reckless driving to sexual assault.
Sharmila Dhankar, a polio-afflicted survivor of domestic abuse, clinched a gold medal in the women's F57 seated shot put at the Commonwealth Games, marking a triumph of resilience and athletic prowess.
A one-and-a-half-year-old boy in Kerala died after allegedly enduring weeks of brutal physical abuse, with a post-mortem examination revealing 51 injuries. The child's mother and her partner have been arrested in connection with the case.
Capgemini has temporarily closed its Bengaluru on-campus daycare facility following reports and viral videos of alleged toddler abuse by caregivers. The IT firm is reassessing all its daycare providers across India and providing support to affected families. This action comes after Bengaluru police arrested two nannies in connection with the alleged abuse, which included threatening and mistreating children. Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge condemned the incident, highlighting its negative impact on 'Brand Bengaluru' and questioning the company's due diligence.
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.
A woman and her live-in partner have been arrested in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with the death of her one-and-a-half-year-old son, with allegations of abuse surfacing against the male accused.
Two nannies at a daycare centre on an IT firm's campus in Bengaluru have been arrested for allegedly abusing toddlers. The arrests followed viral videos showing caregivers threatening and mistreating children, prompting a strong response from Karnataka's Home Minister and the IT firm, Capgemini.
A teacher at a government residential school in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district has been accused of sexually harassing a 14-year-old girl and other students. Police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and POCSO Act, with efforts underway to apprehend the accused. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has ordered a thorough probe, strict action, and directed district authorities to enhance vigilance and conduct regular inspections of girls' hostels and residential schools to ensure child safety.
With a view to educating parents and spread awareness regarding child abuse, child specialists across the country are formulating a methodology to make it mandatory to report all such cases through a multi-agent network of doctors and social workers.
Maharashtra Cyber has arrested a Telegram-based seller, Adiraj Rajendra Bait, for allegedly dealing in Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM). The arrest followed an extensive investigation involving digital ecosystem monitoring, technical verification, and forensic analysis of the accused's mobile phone.
Former gymnast Nicole Pavier said British athletes were subjected to "child abuse" and that the findings of an independent review showed physical and mental mistreatment at clubs was more widespread than first thought.
A viral video showing a toddler being assaulted at a Navi Mumbai anganwadi initially sparked outrage against staff, but a police probe revealed the child's own mother was the perpetrator. The mother lost her temper due to the child's restlessness. Authorities counselled the parents and a minister addressed the spread of misinformation.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Union ministries of electronics and information technology and law and justice regarding a plea for safeguards for minors on social media. The NGO 'Just Rights for Children Alliance' filed the plea, arguing that social media platforms should not enter into contracts with children under 18, citing their statutory incapacity to contract and the risks of online harm.
A 16-year-old boy has been detained in Beed, Maharashtra, for allegedly sexually abusing a six-year-old girl. The incident occurred when the boy lured the girl into his house with the offer of fruit, after which he allegedly sexually abused her. He has been booked under the POCSO Act.
The Indian IT Ministry has engaged in 'hard talk' with Meta regarding child sexual abuse material (CSAM), leading to increased sensitivity and action from the tech giant. The government asserts that Indian laws must be followed and social media harms mitigated, with no safe harbour for violations. Discussions also covered AI labelling and the WhatsApp username issue, highlighting a global concern over social media harms.
