New Delhi: Meta has agreed to report child safety-related cases, including incidents involving Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSAM), directly to Indian law enforcement agencies through the government’s National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, marking a major shift in its reporting mechanism.

The move follows sustained discussions between the Centre and Meta after concerns were raised over alleged CSAM-linked advertisements appearing on Instagram and other platforms. The government had held multiple rounds of talks with the company and summoned senior Meta executives to address child safety concerns.

Government sources said Meta would now flag child sexual abuse cases to appropriate Indian authorities, with the Centre emphasising that children’s online safety was “non-negotiable” for digital platforms operating in the country.

Earlier, reports from Meta were routed through the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) before reaching Indian agencies. The new arrangement is expected to reduce delays and enable faster action by law enforcement.

Meta said its child safety measures in India comply with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and applicable rules. The company stated that reports were previously submitted through NCMEC to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and that the updated system would streamline coordination with authorities.

The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, operated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, already enables citizens to report cybercrimes, including offences involving women and children.

While the government and Meta have agreed on the broader framework, details regarding the frequency of reports, information-sharing process and operational coordination are yet to be disclosed.