Media: Meta platforms accused of allowing ads for AI “nudify” apps

Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram have carried thousands of advertisements for AI “nudify” applications that violate the company’s advertising policies, according to a report by the nonprofit Tech Transparency Project (TTP).

The ads were allegedly placed through GatherOne Inc., a Beijing-based company that connects Chinese businesses seeking to advertise on Meta’s platforms with the US technology company, Bloomberg reports. 

TTP said GatherOne had been responsible in recent months for around 7,600 advertisements promoting mobile apps capable of digitally placing women’s faces onto naked bodies and generating sexualized videos. The organisation also highlighted an app developed in China that allows users to share content some users have flagged as child pornography.

Meta’s policies prohibit sexually suggestive advertisements and promotions for apps that claim to digitally remove clothing from people in images. The report comes amid growing pressure from regulators, victims and their families on technology companies to address deepfake pornography.

“Meta appears to be giving a free pass to one of its top Chinese advertising partners when it comes to nudify ads,” said Katie Paul, TTP’s director.

Although Facebook and Instagram are unavailable in China, the platforms remain attractive to Chinese businesses seeking to reach international audiences. Paul said the findings appeared to contradict Meta’s stated policies and suggested that the company was prioritising advertising revenue over user safety.

GatherOne said it complies with Meta’s advertising policies and applicable international legal frameworks. The company said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward deceptive practices, adult content, non-consensual explicit AI-generated material, child exploitation and fraud.

GatherOne’s website says it helps clients place advertisements across the platforms of Meta, Alphabet’s Google, ByteDance’s TikTok and Elon Musk’s X, among other networks.

By Sabina Mammadli