The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in India has warned major social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Telegram, to immediately remove any Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) from their platforms operating in the Indian internet space, or face legal repercussions.

These notices emphasise the urgent requirement for the prompt and irrevocable removal or blocking of access to CSAM content and the significance of putting proactive measures in place like content moderation algorithms and effective reporting mechanisms to stop the spread of CSAM in the future.

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"We have sent notices to X, YouTube, and Telegram to ensure there is no Child Sexual Abuse Material that exists on their platforms," said Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics & IT. "Under the IT regulations, the government is committed to creating a reliable and secure internet," he added.

Additionally, Chandrasekhar issued a warning that social media intermediaries must adhere to the stringent guidelines established by the IT Act, which prohibits the hosting of illegal or harmful content on their platforms. If they don't act soon, they might lose the safe harbour protection provided by Section 79 of the IT response, which could result in them facing potential legal ramifications under Indian law.

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A violation of Rules 3(1)(b) and 4(4) of the IT Rules, 2021 would be considered a failure to comply with the Ministry's demands as stated in the notices. The Ministry highlighted that the safe harbour status that presently shields these platforms from legal responsibilities would be removed if there was any delay in complying with these directions.

The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 offers the legal foundation for dealing with CSAM and other pornographic content. The IT Act's Sections 66E, 67, 67A, and 67B establish severe fines and penalties for the online transmission of pornographic or lewd material.