Meta's Ad System Failed to Block Child Abuse Material—and Left a Traceable Record

India's government ordered Meta to remove child sexual abuse material from Instagram ads and explain the lapse within seven days. The failure is more acute than routine moderation gaps: paid ads carry advertiser identities, billing records, and payment histories through Meta's review pipeline, making them ordinarily easier to trace. The BBC investigation that triggered the notice found such material running as paid placements, implying either automated detection failed or human review missed flagged content.