Meta is under fire after a BBC investigation found that its platforms displayed advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material to users in India. Indian authorities are now pressing the company to explain how such content passed through its ad-screening process undetected.
According to the BBC, the ads used explicit search terms and directed users toward paid content on Telegram channels, with material reportedly sold for less than a dollar. When BBC flagged the ads, Meta initially said they didn’t breach its policies before reversing course and removing them.
AI Moderation Under the Microscope
The controversy lands as Meta accelerates a broader shift toward AI-powered content moderation, replacing large portions of its human review teams. The company has not confirmed whether automated systems were responsible for approving the ads, but acknowledged that its review process “may not detect all policy violations.” Meta has cut roughly a fifth of its workforce this year, redirecting many functions to AI agents as part of a wider cost-cutting and monetization strategy.
Mounting Pressure on Meta’s AI Strategy
This is not Meta’s only recent AI-related setback. Last month, thousands of Instagram accounts were compromised after users found a way to trick Meta’s automated support agent into granting access without verification. Separately, reports indicate that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has told staff internally that AI development is lagging behind expectations, even as the company faces criticism for using contractors posing as minors to test rival chatbots on sensitive topics like self-harm and eating disorders.
Together, these incidents highlight growing concerns about whether Meta’s rapid AI rollout is compromising user safety, particularly for younger and more vulnerable users, as the company bets heavily on automation to drive future growth.