Rob Leathern and Rob Goldman, both former Meta employees, are launching a new nonprofit called CollectiveMetrics.org to address the growing issue of scam ads on social media platforms. The initiative aims to increase transparency and provide data analysis regarding the prevalence of scam advertisements that exploit unsuspecting users.
Leathern, who was prominently involved in Meta’s efforts to combat such ads, became alarmed after his departure when he observed an escalation in the sophistication of scams, especially those utilizing deepfakes and AI technology. "The technology and progress has stagnated over the last five years," he stated, emphasizing the lack of independent research and data due to platforms not making their metrics publicly accessible.
Their venture emerges as global losses from scams have surged, with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance estimating victims lost over a trillion dollars last year. Leathern pointed out that many victims feel ashamed and do not report scams, and when they do, often see no action taken by the platforms.
To investigate public perceptions around this issue, CollectiveMetrics.org recently conducted a survey of 1,000 American adults. The results revealed that many believe TikTok is doing a poor job at combating scams, with Facebook and Instagram also receiving negative feedback. Notably, over 50% of respondents aged 55 and older expressed the importance of government intervention in addressing deepfake advertisements.
Leathern described the need for independent assessments of how well platforms are addressing scams. He suggested that the ideal situation would be for tech companies to view the prevention of scams as a competitive advantage. He has proposed measures such as notifying users when they click on ads that violate policies, as well as returning revenue from deceptive ads to support educational initiatives about recognizing scams.
In response, Meta has stated that it is actively working to combat scams and has seen a significant decline in user reports regarding scam ads. However, recent lawsuits, including one from Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest, highlight ongoing challenges as Meta has faced accusations of inadvertently supporting scam advertisements through its automated systems.
As of now, platforms maintain the revenue generated from these scams, but Leathern emphasizes that this model should be reconsidered to better protect consumers and provide resources for education regarding scam prevention.
For further information on the report regarding scams, visit the Global Anti-Scam Alliance here.
