Meta fails to delete sex abuse ads featuring real children, states MediaDailyNews

Following Meta’s $17.1 billion settlement for exploiting children on its social-media platforms states MediaDailyNews, the tech giant is being accused of running ads including child sexual abuse material (CSAM) — some of which featured real children — according to a report from Wired.

Last month, states MediaDailyNews, “an investigation led by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) found that Meta had been running dozens of paid ads including explicit AI-generated CSAM material targeting users living in the U.S. and Europe. Some of the ads invited users to link to AI-powered undressing apps. 

“According to Meta’s ad library, the CSAM ads were running across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads.”

“Sexual exploitation is horrific, and we work aggressively to keep it off our platform,” a Meta spokesperson initially told Wired, which reached out to the company for information. 

“The majority of these ads had minimal reach and many were disabled before Wired shared them,” the spokesperson continued, adding that the ads pre-dated Meta’s newer AI-detection and blocking system.

However, Wired’s most recent report found that Meta’s improved AI system is failing to cut down on the spread of abusive ads, which researchers at TTP say are continuing to run. 

Over 250 additional ads featuring “graphic sexual scenes involving children — including some that were identical to those Meta recently removed” — have allegedly run on Meta-owned social platforms since the start of August, states MediaDailyNews.