The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approached U.S.-based search engine Google for sharing its Application Programming Interface (API) for identifying child sexual abuse material on social media platforms.

The MHA is also in talks with Microsoft to commercially acquire PhotoDNA, a tool that aids in finding and removing known images of child exploitation, according to technology giant’s website.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the MHA said that as many as 26 First Information Reports (FIRs)were registered based on complaints against child pornography and sexual harassment faced by women received on www.cybercrime.gov.in.

Over 2 lakh people have visited the website since the portal was launched on September 20 to receive complaints from citizens on objectionable online content related to child pornography, child sexual abuse material, and sexually explicit material such as rape and gang rape.

The MHA said that it has sent a draft agreement to U.S.-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, to access its “cyber tipline reports regarding missing and exploited children.”

The MHA said it has shared keywords to identify objectionable content in the English, Hindi, Bengali and Kannada languageswith social media platforms.

The official said that the time limit given to social media platforms to take down such content after a request has been reduced from 72 to 36 hours.

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