SEWA NYAYA UTTHAN FOUNDATION
Service. Justice. Inclusion
New Delhi, September 29, 2026: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of a complaint filed by Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation (SNU) concerning the repeated misuse and exploitation of young children for the creation and circulation of social-media content.
In a significant intervention, the NHRC has issued notices to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Etah; District Magistrate, Etah; Managing Director & Country Head of Meta India; and Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), directing them to submit Action Taken Reports in two weeks.
SNU RAISED CONCERNS OVER USE OF CHILDREN
On 28 September, we complained that children aged between 3 and 12 years, including children from socially and economically vulnerable backgrounds, were being scripted, tutored and repeatedly made to appear in videos containing abusive, derogatory and politically charged expressions by a private tuition teacher in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh.
The teacher was uploading the videos on her Instagram handle named Pratibha_edu_squad. The complaint raised concerns relating to the children’s dignity, privacy, psychological well-being, lack of parental consent and exploitation by adults.
The NHRC Bench, presided over by Member Priyank Kanoongo, directed the SSP, Etah, to immediately ensure that the children appearing in the videos are produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for assessment of their care, protection, safety and well-being.
The police are directed to identify the persons operating or controlling the social-media handle, recording or creating the videos, scripting or prompting the children, and uploading or circulating the material. The role of parents, guardians, tuition or coaching operators and other adults is also to be examined.
The Commission further directed that the entire digital material be examined and that FIRs and investigations be undertaken against the persons or entities responsible, under applicable provisions including the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Information Technology Act, 2000.
Police have also been directed to preserve videos, account information, upload records and other digital evidence to ensure that online material cannot be deleted or altered in a manner that prejudices the investigation.
META ASKED TO EXPLAIN HOW THE CONTENT WAS ALLOWED
The NHRC has separately directed Meta India to examine the concerned Instagram handle and submit a detailed report on how content involving the repeated use of young children was permitted to be uploaded, circulated and remain accessible.
Meta has also been asked to disclose whether the account or content generated monetisation, commercial benefit, advertising revenue or any other platform-based financial benefit, directly or indirectly. The Commission has directed Meta to examine removal or restriction of content violating applicable law or child-safety policies while preserving relevant data for investigation.
Meta has additionally been directed to preserve and, upon lawful request, provide relevant account-registration particulars, login/access records, IP/device information, upload records and other available digital evidence.
MEITY DIRECTED TO EXAMINE PLATFORM’S CHILD-SAFETY MECHANISMS
The Commission has directed MeitY to examine how children, particularly those alleged to be from socially and economically vulnerable backgrounds, were repeatedly used in such content and how the platform permitted its continued hosting, circulation and amplification.
MeitY has also been directed to examine the platform’s due-diligence, child-safety and grievance-redressal mechanisms and take appropriate action in accordance with law.
Update:
On evening of 29 September, Etah police informed that an FIR had been filed.
