How social media is tackling child-abuse? Modi government seeks report
What's the story
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought a detailed report from social media platforms within two weeks, outlining their work to curb child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The order was given during a meeting on February 19, which was attended by representatives from Google, Meta, and other social media companies.
Officials from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also attended the meeting.
New initiative
MeitY introduces Sahyog platform for CSAM reporting
During the meeting, the government also announced its upcoming Sahyog platform.
This system is being designed to allow direct reporting of CSAM content to local law enforcement authorities.
The reports presented by social media platforms will be examined by NHRC and then submitted to a Parliamentary Committee for further deliberation.
Legal challenge
US-based social media platforms face legal conundrum
The US-based social media firms are caught in a legal conundrum as India and US have different reporting requirements for CSAM.
Under US law, these companies are required to report CSAM content only via the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
However, a 2024 Supreme Court ruling in India requires social media intermediaries to report CSAM cases to NCMEC and local police/Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Compliance concerns
Platforms express concerns over conflicting legal requirements
The platforms have raised concerns that complying with this Indian mandate could violate US laws.
This matter was discussed in a meeting last month by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), where government officials and platform representatives debated the legal conflict and possible solutions.
At the time, platforms had suggested that resolving this issue may need formal agreements between Indian authorities and NCMEC to create a legally compliant reporting mechanism.