Researchers at the Tech Transparency Project (TPP) say they have discovered hundreds of new disturbing ads containing child sexual abuse material, after a previous similar incident. This time, they were able to identify images of real children.
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Early last month, Meta deleted around 50 ads posted on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads that directly included CSAM, following reporting by WIRED. At the time, the company said it would be soon rolling out new AI tools designed to “better detect and block” harmful ads.
The new AI system, however, doesn’t appear to have been entirely effective. More than 250 additional ads containing CSAM have run across Meta’s social media platforms since the start of August, according to the TPP researchers.
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These included sexual content depicting a minor belonging to a European royal family, transforming an officially released photograph into a video of a “graphic sex act.” WIRED confirmed the source image came from the official website of a royal family.
The researchers are not naming the royal to protect the victim and say they contacted officials in the country. Multiple lawmakers and regulators now say they are investigating or looking into the ads following WIRED’s reporting.
While the ads have now been removed for violating Meta’s policies on child exploitation, adult exploitation, and nudity, all of the ads were originally published despite the company’s policies saying it reviews all ads that run on its platforms.
“We don’t tolerate nudify apps or any kind of child exploitation, whether real or AI-generated,” says Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton. The company has previously removed hundreds of thousands of ads for violating its policies on nudification.