Lawsuit alleges Meta runs content sexualizing minors besides corporate ads
Facebook and Instagram are facing accusations of profiting from corporate ads placed next to content, that may promote child sexual exploitation. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez initiated a lawsuit against Meta in December, claiming the company allowed adults to find and groom minors for exploitation. Torrez said, "New evidence indicates Meta officials are duping corporate advertisers and permitting sponsored content to appear alongside deeply disturbing images and videos that clearly violate Meta's promised standards."
Match Group's complaints about ad positioning
The complaint reveals that Match Group informed Meta in November, about their dating app ads (Tinder and Hinge) appearing next to "disturbing" content on Reels (short videos on Facebook, Instagram). Match claimed some Reels promoted illegal and exploitative businesses, featuring provocative images of young girls. Match ads were also found in a Facebook group displaying graphic films of women being murdered. A Match representative urged, "We need to quickly figure out how we stop this from happening on your platforms."
Walmart expresses concerns over ad placement
In October, Walmart expressed concerns about Meta's attention to brand safety issues. Meta admitted that Walmart ads were displayed on unapproved channels, with "some minimal exposure to placements that you've not approved." Walmart's marketing team questioned why their ads were running next to illicit content, eventually calling Meta's response "unacceptable." A representative stated, "Candidly, we were disappointed that your team seemed more focused on getting a press statement right than on addressing this problem."
Meta's ineffectiveness in addressing content issues
Torrez argued in the complaint that "Meta's claims regarding the content of its platforms are false and that its tools are ineffective." The filing includes evidence of child predators finding victims through Instagram and users discussing luring minors. A former Instagram employee testified before Congress in November that his daughter received unwanted advances online, and when he informed senior Meta leadership, he was ignored.
New Mexico AG's investigation into child sexual exploitation
Before filing the lawsuit, New Mexico AG's office investigators looked into child sexual exploitation on Meta's platforms. They discovered numerous Instagram posts promoting abusive acts toward young girls. Although investigators reported all images and videos to Meta, only half were removed. The lawsuit claims, "Investigators found that content that was removed frequently reappeared or that Meta recommended alternative, equally problematic content to users - demonstrating that Meta is capable of identifying this content but incapable of effectively dealing with it."