Supreme Court India: Demands CSAM Social Media Report in 2 Weeks

• The Supreme Court of India has given the Union Government two weeks to submit a report on measures against Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and social media intermediary lapses.
• The directive follows a petition by the Network for Access to Justice and Multidisciplinary Outreach Foundation, which seeks criminal action against intermediaries for failing to report CSAM.
• The Court noted that only Google and Meta have reportedly provided information to Indian authorities on CSAM, despite earlier directives.
• The government's report must detail steps taken, precautions against future lapses by intermediaries, and address the Court's previous order from August 14, 2026.
• The petitioner has been granted permission to assist the Court in drafting a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for reporting CSAM.

The Supreme Court of India has issued a firm directive to the Union Government, granting a final two-week period to submit a comprehensive report detailing measures against Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and alleged failures by social media intermediaries.

The Supreme Court of India has issued a firm directive to the Union Government, granting a final two-week period to submit a comprehensive report detailing measures against Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and alleged failures by social media intermediaries. This order, delivered by a bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, underscores the judiciary's serious concern over the delay in addressing this critical issue. The Court specifically sought an explanation for the steps taken to implement its prior directives and to prevent lapses by online platforms.

During the recent hearing, Justice Pardiwala directly questioned the Centre's representative regarding the absence of the mandated report. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) KM Nataraj requested an additional week to file the document, a request met with skepticism by Justice Pardiwala, who highlighted the gravity of the matter. The Court emphasized that its earlier order had been explicit, and despite the passage of time, no report had been placed on record. This latest instruction serves as a definitive deadline for the government to demonstrate its commitment to tackling the proliferation of CSAM online.

The Court's current intervention stems from a miscellaneous application filed by the Network for Access to Justice and Multidisciplinary Outreach Foundation. This petitioner organization is seeking criminal action against social media intermediaries, alleging their failure to report instances of CSAM to the relevant authorities. Counsel for the petitioner informed the bench that despite several years having passed since a previous Supreme Court judgment on the matter, only Google and Meta have reportedly provided information to Indian authorities regarding CSAM.

The petitioner's counsel further advocated for the establishment of clear guidelines and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that would compel social media companies and other intermediaries to report sexually exploitative and abusive material to both local police and cybersecurity agencies. The Supreme Court's previous order, dated August 14, 2026, had specifically directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Ministry of Law and Justice to file their counter-affidavit or report on these very issues. The Court noted with concern that despite this specific directive, no such document had been submitted, leading to the current `Supreme Court MeitY CSAM report deadline`.

In its latest order, the Supreme Court explicitly stated that the matter before it is "extremely serious" and granted the two ministries "one last opportunity" to comply. The forthcoming `Supreme Court India CSAM social media report` must clearly outline the actions undertaken by MeitY and the Ministry of Law and Justice to effectively implement the Supreme Court's earlier directions from the main judgment. Furthermore, it must detail the specific measures adopted to curb the menace of CSAM, as highlighted in the `Network for Access to Justice CSAM petition`.

Crucially, the report is also required to specify the precautions the government intends to implement in the future to prevent further lapses on the part of social media intermediaries. The ASG confirmed that the matter was being taken "very seriously" by the Centre, noting that notice had already been issued and proceedings initiated against one particular company. In a significant move to ensure comprehensive solutions, the Court also permitted the Network for Access to Justice and Multidisciplinary Outreach Foundation to assist in formulating the proposed SOP, allowing them to submit a draft for consideration. This development signals a potential tightening of `India social media intermediary CSAM guidelines` and increased `social media intermediary liability India`.

Compliance officers and legal counsel for social media intermediaries operating in India should closely monitor the Supreme Court's directives, as this development signals imminent, stricter guidelines and potential new reporting obligations concerning Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), increasing liability for non-compliance.

Source: Reporting based on court proceedings