As part of a larger crackdown on CSAM, I4C has instructed social media intermediaries to onboard onto the Sahyog Portal, a centralized platform designed for real-time takedown requests under the Information Technology (IT) Act. The directive follows a recent Supreme Court judgment that expanded the obligations of tech companies under Indian law, specifically under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The Sahyog Portal allows designated government agencies to issue takedown notices to platforms, bypassing lengthy legal channels and enabling immediate action against unlawful and exploitative content involving minors. I4C has also asked platforms to:
- Nominate nodal officers for coordination
- Develop APIs to automate integration with the portal
- Submit periodic reports and share best practices
- Adopt AI tools to proactively detect CSAM
- Run public awareness campaigns on cyber safety for women and children
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Clash with Global Tech Giants Over Jurisdiction and Compliance
While the move is being hailed by Indian regulators as a necessary step in protecting vulnerable users, it has met resistance from US-based tech platforms, who argue that complying with Sahyog may place them in violation of American law.
Currently, under U.S. law, companies like Google and Meta are obligated to report CSAM only to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between NCMEC and the Indian government allows these reports to be routed to India’s National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which then sends them to relevant state police units.
However, the 2024 Supreme Court judgment in India established that intermediaries must not stop at reporting to NCMEC, but are also required to report CSAM directly to Indian authorities—with Sahyog acting as the official reporting channel.
During a January 30 meeting with I4C, companies like Meta, Reddit, Snap Inc, and ShareChat expressed legal concerns, stating that dual compliance with both U.S. and Indian laws puts them in an impossible position. X (Twitter), which is already battling the Indian government in the Karnataka High Court, went further, calling Sahyog a “censorship portal”—a label that drew strong pushback from Indian authorities.
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India’s CSAM Burden Grows Amid Global Scrutiny and Domestic Action
India has emerged as one of the countries with the highest number of CSAM-related reports, based on data from both NCRB and international watchdogs. Authorities have flagged a sharp increase in such content being circulated on social media platforms, prompting a more aggressive policy response.
The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal has also seen a surge in CSAM complaints, raising red flags among cybersecurity officials. In response, I4C is now pushing for more proactive detection, transparency, and rapid compliance mechanisms, signaling a shift from passive regulation to real-time accountability.
While the implementation of the Sahyog Portal is intended to streamline cross-agency coordination and bolster child protection online, the standoff with global platforms may escalate into a broader debate on digital sovereignty, jurisdictional overreach, and cross-border law enforcement cooperation.