San Francisco’s city attorney has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Meta, demanding the company halt the display of paid advertisements featuring AI-generated child sexual abuse content. The city attorney is seeking clarification on how these advertisements managed to appear on Meta’s platforms repeatedly.
Recent investigations revealed that Meta had run over 350 ads, some that transformed actual images of minors—confirmed to include individuals such as a member of a European royal family—into short videos depicting them in sexualized scenarios. These ads directed viewers to download AI apps that could be misused for creating nonconsensual imagery.
The ads featured across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, managed to reach over 29,000 accounts across various countries, including the United States, Australia, and India. After initial coverage in August regarding a batch of 53 problematic ads, additional findings disclosed another 250 instances operating without moderation.
David Chiu, the city attorney, condemned Meta’s inaction, stating, "These ads are deeply disturbing and cause harm to real children." He stressed that while Meta claims a zero-tolerance policy for child exploitation, their operational laxities indicate systemic failures in their safeguards.
In response, Meta insisted there is "no indication" of the ads being displayed in San Francisco, thereby challenging the city’s jurisdiction over the matter. However, officials from the city attorney’s office contend that since residents can access these harmful ads through Meta, they bear legal responsibility.
The correspondence from the city attorney’s office not only demands that Meta cease these ads but also requests an explanation of how they were able to bypass monitoring systems. The letter highlights significant concerns regarding Meta’s ad policies, urging for prompt discussions with relevant company departments on child safety and advertising standards.
Researchers from the Tech Transparency Project noted troubling delays in Meta’s response to reports of abusive ads, indicating the severity and persistence of this issue. Despite assurances that Meta does not tolerate any form of child exploitation, evidence points to ongoing challenges in effectively regulating harmful advertisements on their platforms.
The city attorney’s office aims to encourage Meta to develop robust systems to prevent the exploitation of children through advertisements, underscoring the necessity for the company to fulfill its legal obligations proactively.
