In a swift decision on Thursday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to authorities in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, after a complaint surfaced that a coaching centre had used children as young as three to record and post more than 1,100 political‑slogan videos on an Instagram account named ‘Pratibha_edu_squad’.
The complaint, flagged by Muji Singh Rangi, director of ISSF India, alleged that the centre recruited kids from economically weaker families to repeat slogans unrelated to their studies, breaching child‑rights guidelines.
Member Priyank Kanoongo’s bench directed the Etah police to identify the minors and provide protection and counselling, while the senior superintendent of police, district magistrate, Meta’s Managing Director, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s secretary were all asked to file action‑taken reports within 14 days.
If the investigation establishes a cognisable offence, the NHRC will register an FIR and pursue legal action, while Meta must explain how the content was repeatedly uploaded and whether any commercial benefit was generated.
The probe comes after the Supreme Court warned of social media’s impact on children and urged statutory safeguards, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has guidelines that the NHRC cited in demanding that adults controlling the content be held accountable.
A 7‑year‑old girl from Etah’s rural outskirts, whose parents were unaware of the videos, said her family had no idea the footage was circulating—highlighting the urgency of the commission’s mandate.