Archive · 22 Sep 2026
Google, Meta CSAM Reporting Tests India’s Big Tech Protections
Google and Meta are facing questions about how they report child sexual abuse material in India.
Indian rules require certain information to be reported under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Indian authorities want direct access to information about this material.
The discussion also involves safe harbour protections for internet platforms.
Safe harbour can protect platforms from being automatically responsible for users’ content.
However, platforms may have to follow reporting and safety duties to keep those protections.
If they do not meet those duties, they could face more legal risk.
The debate is about balancing child safety with the legal protections given to technology companies.
Google and Meta’s latest actions have brought India’s child-safety rules into focus.
The debate centers on platforms’ reporting obligations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Indian authorities want direct access to information about child sexual abuse material.
The issue also concerns whether intermediary protections, known as safe harbour, should continue to apply.
Platforms could face greater legal exposure if they fail statutory or due-diligence requirements.
- Who
- Google, Meta, Indian authorities, and large technology platforms.
- What
- The latest moves by Google and Meta have prompted debate over CSAM reporting duties and intermediary safe harbour in India.
- When
- The articles refer to the latest moves by Google and Meta, but do not provide a specific date.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- The debate concerns child safety, direct official access to CSAM information, and whether platforms are meeting statutory and due-diligence requirements.
- Companies involved
- Google and Meta
- Country
- India
- Material at issue
- Child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
- Relevant law
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO)
- Key legal protection
- Intermediary safe harbour
- Main compliance concern
- Statutory reporting and due-diligence requirements