Meta under fire for using schoolgirls' photos in targeted ads
What's the story
Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, is facing backlash for allegedly using back-to-school photos of schoolgirls in targeted advertisements. The controversial move came to light when a 37-year-old man reported seeing the ads on his device. Speaking to The Guardian, he claimed that the promotional posts only featured girls in uniforms, with no boys included, which gave off "an aspect of sexualization."
Ad content
Ads appeared in man's Instagram feed
The ads, which urged the man to "get Threads," were integrated into his Instagram feed. They included images of girls as young as 13, some with their faces visible and names attached. The posts featuring these children were highlighted to him as "suggested threads." The images had been shared by parents on Instagram to celebrate their children's return to school.
Parental concern
Parents unaware of children's images being used
The parents whose children's images were used in the ads were unaware that Meta's settings allowed such a practice. One mother claimed her private account was automatically cross-posting to Threads, where the posts were visible. The man who received these posts found them "deliberately provocative and ultimately exploitative of the children and families involved."
Company response
Meta says images don't violate policies
In defense of its actions, Meta said the images didn't violate its policies. The company claimed it recommends people to visit Threads by showing publicly shared photos that comply with its community standards and recommendation guidelines. However, parents of the girls featured in these ads were outraged by the use of their children's images for promotional purposes. One father called it "absolutely outrageous," while a mother said she would never have given consent for such use.
Policy clarification
Photos were from adult accounts set to public viewing
Meta clarified that its systems don't recommend Threads posts made by teenagers. However, these were shared from adults' accounts set to public viewing. The company called such posts "recommendation tools," asserting that public posts could be used for this purpose. A Meta spokesperson said, "The images shared do not violate our policies and are back-to-school photos posted publicly by parents."
Ethical debate
Children's rights campaigner calls it 'new low even for Meta'
The incident has sparked a debate over Meta's practices and the ethics of using children's images in advertisements. Beeban Kidron, a children's rights campaigner, criticized the move as "a new low even for Meta." She urged regulators to ensure that companies cannot use sexualized images of children as bait to unknown men. The controversy highlights the need for stricter guidelines and transparency in social media advertising practices involving minors.