Online child abuse : Meta must ensure swift reporting
The Tribune Editorial: The challenge is becoming harder with artificial intelligence
META’s decision to report child safety cases, including child sexual abuse, directly to Indian law enforcement agencies is welcome. More significantly, the social media giant has agreed to report such cases to India’s cybercrime portal. Until now, instances of child sexual abuse material detected on its platforms were reported to the US-based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The move should shorten the distance between detection and investigation. But it is only a first step. The timing is important. Meta is under heightened scrutiny in India over the alleged circulation and promotion of child sexual abuse material, including through paid advertisements. That raises uncomfortable questions about the effectiveness of its content-moderation and advertising systems. Platforms possess sophisticated technology to identify users, target advertisements and protect commercial interests. Child safety deserves at least the same technological investment.
