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Google is set to move towards directly reporting cases involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to Indian authorities, departing from its previous practice of routing such reports through a US-based non-profit.
The technology giant said on Monday that it proposed sharing relevant information with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C), which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Google described the proposal as part of its ongoing discussions with the Indian government.
“Google is deeply committed to fighting CSAM online and preventing its platforms from being used to create, store or distribute such material,” a Google spokesperson said. The company also said it invests significantly in detecting, deterring, removing and reporting such material.
Google currently reports CSAM through a process involving the US-based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). When Google detects such material on its platforms, it removes the content and files a CyberTipline report with NCMEC or other relevant authorities.
Such reports can include the offending material, contextual information and, where relevant, information that identifies the user or child victim. NCMEC then relays reports to law enforcement agencies in the country concerned.
Indian officials raised concerns that this process could delay reports reaching domestic police, particularly in cases involving an immediate risk to a child. Two Indian government sources told Reuters that authorities recently pressed technology companies, including Google and Microsoft, to report India-related cases directly.
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Google’s proposed change follows a similar move by Meta last week. The WhatsApp maker said it would report child-safety matters directly to the Cyber Crime portal managed by I4C.
The development comes amid increased scrutiny of how major technology platforms handle online child safety in India. India is the largest user market for both Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Facebook.
Globally, CSAM reporting remains a major challenge. NCMEC’s CyberTipline received more than 21.3 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation from around the world in 2025. Most countries still rely on the US-based organization as the primary international clearinghouse for these reports.
