Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi has directed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to implement two child-safety initiatives expeditiously: an AI-based tool to detect child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) online, and social media guidelines for technology companies. She identified both as immediate priorities during a review at the commission’s office on October 13.
The AI detection tool
NCPCR is developing the tool in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Its purpose is to proactively detect CSEAM online, identifying such material independently rather than relying on complaints or reports.
The Minister received a project briefing during her meeting with NCPCR’s leadership. According to the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the project remains in development. The release does not provide a launch date or technical details, specify which platforms or content types will be covered, or outline procedures for reporting, escalating, or removing flagged material.
Social Media guidelines for technology companies
NCPCR Chairperson V. Prem Chand updated the Minister on the commission’s development of social media guidelines for technology companies. The release does not specify the guidelines’ contents, legal status, or expected issuance date. The Minister’s directive applies to both this initiative and the AI tool.
What the Minister directed
- Both initiatives should be implemented expeditiously.
- Complaints received by NCPCR should be handled “sensitively, responsibly and expeditiously,” with all possible support extended to complainants. She linked this to the Prime Minister’s remark that effective grievance redressal is central to democracy.
- Pending files should be cleared by December 31, 2026. This was framed as an administrative directive, separate from the two child-safety initiatives.
What remains unclear
The release summarises a ministerial review rather than announcing a rollout. It provides no deadlines for either initiative and does not specify the AI tool’s development status, MeitY’s role, or how privacy, accuracy, and enforcement will be addressed. These details, which are essential to assessing the tool’s effectiveness, have not been disclosed.
Background: The announcement comes after months of scrutiny of platforms over child safety. NCPCR launched a formal inquiry into Meta following its response to a July 3 notice about Instagram ads in India allegedly linked to CSEAM. On July 4, 2026, MeitY ordered Instagram to turn off these ads and gave Meta seven days to explain its review process. NCPCR later summoned Meta India executives again, while the National Human Rights Commission asked Delhi Police to assess whether Meta had fulfilled its mandatory reporting obligations under the POCSO Act. Meta has reportedly agreed to report child safety issues directly to the cybercrime portal managed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
In 2024, NCPCR met with major platforms, including Meta, Google, YouTube, X, Snapchat, Reddit, ShareChat, and Bumble, to propose measures such as parental consent for minors and KYC verification for all users. NCPCR also called for tools to detect and block child sexual abuse material, mandatory reporting under the POCSO Act, and action-taken reports within seven days. On the technology front, I4C had previously directed intermediaries to appoint nodal officers to report child sexual abuse material and use AI tools to detect and remove it.
Read more:
- Report: Child Rights Commission is creating social media code of conduct for children’s safety online
- SC asks Centre to consider social media rules for minors. Here’s what they could cover
The post Centre pushes child rights body to fast-track AI tool to detect child sexual abuse material appeared first on MEDIANAMA.