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A BBC investigation has found that Instagram served paid advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material on a test account in India, with some ads directing users to Telegram channels where such content could reportedly be accessed.
How the Ads Surfaced
Reporters created an alias Instagram account in India and followed profiles sharing sexualised content to observe the platform’s ad targeting. Within days, the account began receiving adult content ads. Soon after, it started showing ads appearing to depict children in sexually suggestive contexts, several linking to Telegram. BBC identified around 30 such ads, alongside roughly 20 adult content ads, over the course of the investigation.
Meta’s Response
When BBC first reported one ad through Instagram’s own tools, the company said it did not violate community guidelines. Action followed only after BBC formally approached Meta for comment — the company then removed several ads, disabled the accounts involved, and blocked related URLs.
Meta rejected suggestions it had knowingly served such content, calling the characterisation “categorically inaccurate.” It said it disabled over four million accounts in 2025 for suspicious activity and reports exploitation cases to NCMEC as legally required, while acknowledging that “no system is perfect.”
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How Does Instagram’s Ad Review Process Work?
Meta’s Advertising Standards state that every ad is checked using automated systems and, in some cases, human reviewers before it can run. Most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, though sensitive content is more likely to be escalated for manual review, extending the timeline. Rejected ads can be edited and resubmitted, or appealed if advertisers believe the decision was wrong.
Notably, Meta acknowledges its review process may not catch every violation, and that ads remain subject to re-review even after going live. The company says it also runs proactive detection technology post publication — a safeguard that did not catch the ad BBC later flagged.
Telegram’s Role
Two Telegram channels allegedly selling such material were identified; one was removed for violating terms of service, the other remained active. Telegram said it removed over 274,000 related groups and channels in 2026, though it is not affiliated with NCMEC or the Internet Watch Foundation.
Wider Context
India recorded nearly 1.9 million NCMEC tipline reports in 2025, second only to the US. Mumbai-based child safety organisation the Rati Foundation told BBC that most reports it receives originate from Meta platforms, with co-founder Siddharth Pillai noting that offenders exploit the Instagram-Telegram pathway, repeatedly re-uploading removed content to evade detection.
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