Reuters: Meta Memos Show $16 Billion in 2024 Revenue From 'High-Risk' Ads

Overview

• Internal documents reviewed by Reuters describe up to 15 billion daily impressions of ads flagged as high risk across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
• The files outline a policy to block advertisers only when algorithms reach 95% confidence of fraud, with higher fees applied at lower confidence levels instead of removal.
• The materials include projections of roughly $3.5 billion in revenue every six months from legally risky ads and internal models anticipating potential fines up to $1 billion.
• A May 2025 security presentation estimated Meta platforms were involved in about one-third of successful scams in the United States.
• Meta spokesperson Andy Stone called the figures approximate and overly broad, citing a 58% drop in global reports of fraudulent ads over 18 months and 134 million ad removals in 2025, alongside targets to cut scam ads in some markets.