Meta failed to detect 332 ads containing AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on Facebook and Instagram this year, according to a new report.
The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) found that Meta's systems missed the ads, which included real photos of children and AI-generated content that violated federal child pornography laws.
The report highlights how Meta's ad review system failed to flag and remove content that could harm minors.
The report detailed how some ads featured real photos of children, including a press photo of a young European royal and images from a popular Instagram influencer.
TTP matched multiple CSAM ads to photos of real children that appeared online, showing how AI tools were used to create explicit content. The ads often included animations of children performing graphic sexual acts, which TTP said clearly violated child pornography laws.
In some cases, the ads were not removed for days after being flagged, raising concerns about Meta's response time and consistency. TTP noted that the company only updated its records after being alerted to discrepancies. The delay in removal suggests that Meta may be undercounting instances of child sexual abuse, which could have serious consequences for affected minors.
"These findings came after the group teamed up with Wired and flagged an earlier batch of 53 ads in August," TTP said.
At that time, Meta claimed it had rolled out new systems to detect child exploitation, but TTP found hundreds of new CSAM ads ran after Meta boasted about its technology.
The report also highlighted that other related 'nudification' ads containing explicit content of adults were found on Meta's platforms.
Meta delayed removals of the flagged ads, including some that contained explicit content of minors. The company took down some ads but refused to remove others that were identical, suggesting inconsistencies in its enforcement.
TTP criticized Meta for not acting quickly on reports, which could allow harmful content to reach users. The report also raised concerns about Meta's potential profits from these ads, as the company did not disclose ad reach for every region.
Source: arstechnica
