Google has announced it will begin reporting content flagged as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) directly to Indian authorities, marking a departure from its previous global practice of routing such reports through a US-based nonprofit organization. The change was made public on Monday, following a similar move by Meta last week.

For years, both Google and Meta have referred CSAM reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), a US nonprofit that then forwards relevant information to law enforcement agencies in the affected countries. However, two Indian government sources said they recently urged major tech companies, including Google and Microsoft, to report suspected abuse content concerning India directly to domestic law enforcement. Indian officials expressed concerns that the previous system resulted in significant delays, potentially putting children at risk by slowing the response time of local authorities.

A Google spokesperson emphasized that the company "invests significantly to detect, deter, remove and report child sexual abuse material" and described the new reporting approach as part of ongoing discussions with the Indian government. India represents the largest user market for both Meta’s Facebook and Google’s YouTube platforms.

Meta’s decision to begin reporting directly followed weeks of tension with Indian authorities over the handling of CSAM on its platforms. In August, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg issued an apology concerning the spread of such material on its services. The shift by both companies reflects growing pressure from Indian officials to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of addressing child exploitation content.

Child sexual abuse material remains a widespread and escalating international problem. According to the CyberTipline managed by the same US nonprofit, more than 21.3 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation were made globally in 2025 alone.

While the updated reporting procedures aim to expedite action by Indian law enforcement, some experts caution that bypassing centralized systems like NCMEC could have implications for international coordination. Nonetheless, the change signals a significant adjustment in how global tech firms collaborate with one of their largest markets in addressing online child safety concerns.