Google has agreed to provide Indian agencies directly with information on online child sexual abuse cases linked to India.
It will no longer be necessary to first send reports of such cases to the US organisation National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. This could help Indian police reach children in danger more quickly.
A Google spokesperson said on Monday that the company invests heavily in detecting, preventing, removing and reporting child sexual abuse.
India had asked big tech companies to speed up reporting
The Government of India had asked major tech companies to speed up the reporting of objectionable content involving children, particularly in cases where a child could face an immediate threat.
Indian officials said that sending reports through a US-based organisation caused delays. This increased the difficulty especially when a child was facing an immediate threat and the police needed to take prompt action.
Meta also changes its reporting system
The decision comes after Meta’s announcement last week. Meta had also agreed to share information about cases related to child sexual abuse in India directly with the relevant Indian law enforcement agencies.
Government sources had said at the time, “The online safety of children is a fundamental principle for the operation of any social media platform in India. There will be no compromise on this.”
More than 2.13 crore reports received in 2025
Child sexual abuse material remains a growing concern worldwide. The CyberTipline of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received more than 2.13 crore reports from around the world in 2025 concerning the possible sexual exploitation of children.
Officials in the United States, the European Union and other regions have asked platforms to speed up the detection and reporting of such material. Despite this, the US non-profit organisation remains the main information hub for such reports in most countries.
India’s initiative aims to establish a direct reporting channel. This will enable Indian law enforcement agencies to take action without waiting for information to be routed through a foreign intermediary.
Bhaskar Knowledge: Producing or possessing child sexual abuse material is a crime in India
Question 1: What is the law on child sexual abuse material in India?
Answer: Producing, possessing, viewing, sharing, selling or disseminating child sexual abuse material is a crime.
Question 2: What is the punishment under Section 67B of the IT Act?
Answer: Up to five years in prison and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh for a first offence. A repeat offence can attract up to seven years in prison and a fine.
Question 3: What responsibility do social media companies have?
Answer: Under India’s Information Technology Rules, 2021, social media platforms must take prompt action to remove illegal content. They must co-operate with investigative agencies. They must take appropriate technical measures to identify and prevent content related to the sexual exploitation of children.
Question 4: What should you do if you come across such content?
Answer: Do not download, share or forward it. Report it immediately on the relevant platform. File a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. If necessary, inform the local police or cyber cell.
Question 5: What can the government do in this matter?
Answer: It can seek a response from the social media company. It can direct the platform to remove the content. It can initiate a criminal investigation through investigating agencies. It can take action under IT laws for violations of the rules.
Question 6: Is only the platform responsible?
Answer: No. Individuals who upload, buy, sell, share or knowingly circulate such content also come within the scope of criminal action under Indian law.
