Warning: This article contains real-world examples of abuse.

An investigation has revealed that Instagram approved and ran paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material to users in India. The discovery raises serious concerns about the reliability of Meta's content moderation tools and the difficulties platforms face in controlling illegal material online.

The probe uncovered numerous ads using phrases like "rape video" and "child video." These promotions led users to Telegram channels where the illegal material was reportedly offered for sale at prices as low as 99 Indian rupees, roughly one dollar.

Paid advertisements bypassed Meta's moderation systems

The ads surfaced on a new Instagram account created to test how the platform suggests sexualized content. After the account followed a few profiles sharing suggestive but non-explicit material, it soon began receiving more explicit promotions.

Within days the account saw ads for adult pornography, followed by promotions showing children in sexually suggestive poses that linked to Telegram channels selling CSAM. Roughly 30 distinct ads promoting child sexual abuse material and about 20 adult pornography ads were recorded.

In one case an ad depicted a distressed young girl with text implying sexual assault. Twenty-four hours later Instagram stated the ad did not breach its guidelines and would stay live. Only after contact with Meta did the company disable several ads, suspend related accounts, remove further violating content, and block associated URLs.

Meta stated that "no system is perfect" and continues to refine its automated detection tools while reporting suspected child exploitation cases to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as required by law. The company denied deliberately targeting such ads at users and called child exploitation "a horrific crime" it works to prevent.

Critics question moderation as Telegram also faces scrutiny

The investigation also examined Telegram's role in distributing the material. Two Telegram channels selling child abuse videos were identified. One was removed after being reported, while the other kept posting new content. Telegram said it employs both automated systems and human moderators to remove CSAM and claimed it has taken down more than 274,000 groups and channels linked to such material in 2026.

The findings drew sharp responses from legal experts and former Meta executives. Retired Indian Supreme Court Justice Madan Lokur called the matter serious enough to warrant intervention by India's Supreme Court, noting that platforms cannot evade responsibility simply because users upload illegal content.

Former Facebook executive Brian Boland, who helped develop the company's advertising operations before departing in 2020, described the findings as "horrified and unsurprised." He argued that Instagram's recommendation systems favor engagement and revenue, warning that without stronger protections these systems can unintentionally promote increasingly extreme content.

The report also highlights the scale of the issue in India. The country received 1.9 million CyberTipline reports related to child sexual abuse material in 2025, second only to the United States. Indian cybercrime officials and child protection groups noted that Meta's platforms account for a significant portion of these reports, while stressing the need for stronger international cooperation to dismantle the criminal networks behind the production and distribution of such material.