Meta didn't do all it could to fend off scam ads, report claims

"Meta developed internal strategies to limit the visibility of fraudulent ads to regulators, while delaying structural measures against online scams. This is according to a Reuters investigation report based on internal company documents from the past four years. According to those documents, Meta adjusted the functioning of its public ad library, among other things, so that ads actively tracked by regulators disappeared from view more quickly. The approach was first used in Japan at a time when stricter verification requirements for advertisers were being considered."

"By focusing on the search behavior of regulators and journalists, Meta was able to create the impression that the number of fraudulent ads had decreased significantly. This did not necessarily mean that the underlying problem had been structurally solved. However, it did mean that control mechanisms found fewer violations. Internally, this was described as steering the perceived scale of the problem."

"The tactic proved effective in Japan. After Meta reduced the visibility of problematic ads, the Japanese government decided to refrain from imposing stricter requirements for the identification of advertisers. Meta then incorporated the approach into a broader internal playbook that it also applies in other regions, including Europe and the United States. According to the documents, the aim is to delay or limit regulation as long as legislation does not explicitly require the company to take stricter measures."

Meta implemented internal tactics to reduce the visibility of fraudulent ads to regulators and postponed structural fixes for online scams. Meta adjusted the public ad library so that ads tracked by regulators disappeared from view more quickly, first applied in Japan during consideration of stricter advertiser verification. Meta introduced broad advertiser verification only where legislation explicitly required it, despite analyses showing verification reduces scam ads. By focusing on regulator and journalist search behavior, detected scam counts fell without solving root causes, described as steering the perceived scale of the problem. The tactic was incorporated into an internal playbook used in multiple regions.

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