Meta approving inappropriate ads targeting teens made using own AI
A study by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), a division of the nonprofit Campaign for Accountability, discovered that Meta approved numerous ads containing content that violates company policies. TTP researchers used Meta's "Imagine with Meta AI" tool to create images promoting pro-anorexia accounts, "Skittles parties," gambling, and neo-Nazi dog-whistles, all aimed at teenagers aged 13-17. Shockingly, most of these ads were approved in under five minutes for distribution on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Meta Quest.
Circumventing Meta's safeguards
The TTP report shows that it was surprisingly easy to bypass Meta's safety measures. For example, when an ad showing a young woman with a measuring tape around her waist was rejected for breaking Meta's rules, TTP simply replaced the image with a thin girl standing near a scale, and it was approved. Futurism also discovered that slightly altering the wording allowed them to create similarly inappropriate images using Meta's AI tool.
Inconsistencies in ad approval process
Futurism faced similar challenges when trying to replicate TTP's findings but found simple ways to get around them. An image prompt depicting a "young white male holding a rifle surrounded by people lying down" was rejected, but changing "rifle" to "AR" produced four images resembling real-life white supremacists. These inconsistencies raise questions about the reliability of Meta's ad approval process.
Meta's AI and ad platform under scrutiny
Michelle Kuppersmith, executive director of the Center for Accountability, criticized Meta for not taking action against inappropriate content targeting minors. She stated, "Meta executives have repeatedly claimed that the company doesn't allow ads that target minors with inappropriate content. Yet, we've seen Meta's ad approval system prioritize taking an advertiser's money over ensuring the company's PR promises are kept." This emphasizes the need for stricter oversight and scrutiny of Meta's AI and advertising platform.
