Meta Faces Backlash from Major Advertisers Over Alleged Placement of Ads Next to Illicit Content

Despite new safety measures, critics argue that Meta's efforts to protect young users on its platforms fall short.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing backlash from major advertisers Walmart and Match Group over allegations of placing ads next to illicit sexual content, according to a lawsuit filed by the New Mexico attorney general's office.
Match Group CEO Bernard Kim reportedly reached out to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg directly, expressing concerns about their ads appearing next to violent and predatory content. Zuckerberg did not respond to the message.
Advertiser alarm grew after a Wall Street Journal report suggested that Instagram’s recommendation algorithms were amplifying a 'vast pedophile network'.
Meta has recently announced new restrictions aimed at creating 'safe, age-appropriate experiences' for young users, including automatically placing teens into the most restrictive content control setting on Instagram and Facebook.
Despite these measures, critics argue that Instagram's new teen safety features still fall short. The effectiveness of such limits in protecting teens from harmful content remains unclear due to Meta's general reluctance to share internal data.