"In 2024 alone, Meta earned more than $3 billion - or 19% of its total $18 billion advertising haul in China - from scam advertisements, porn, illegal gambling and other shady sources, according to leaked documents obtained by Reuters. That's despite the fact that China bans its own citizens from using Facebook and Instagram. Meta initially took steps to combat scams, creating an anti-fraud team focused on China."
"By the second half last year, it had reduced revenue from Chinese scams to 9%. But the anti-fraud team was disbanded as part of an internal shakeup that included direct feedback from Zuckerberg, the report said. One late 2024 document said the China anti-fraud team was "asked to pause" its work "as a result of Integrity Strategy pivot and follow-up from Zuck." Meta also nixed a freeze on allowing new Chinese ad agencies access to its platforms, according to Reuters."
"The documents did not specify the nature of the "pivot." But by midway through 2025, revenue from scam ads had spiked again to constitute about 16% of Meta's overall haul from China, the report said. At one point, Meta reportedly determined that about one-quarter of all scam ads on its platforms originated from sources on China - more than any other country. Meta employees described China in internal documents as the company's top "scam exporting nation.""
Meta earned over $3 billion in 2024 — 19% of its $18 billion China advertising haul — from scam ads, porn, illegal gambling and other shady sources. China bans its citizens from using Facebook and Instagram. Meta created a China-focused anti-fraud team and reduced revenue from Chinese scams to 9% by late 2024. The anti-fraud team was disbanded amid an internal shakeup and direct feedback from Zuckerberg, and the team was asked to pause. By mid-2025, Chinese scam ad revenue rose to about 16%. Internal documents identified China as the top "scam exporting nation," with flagged violations including deceptive business practices, banned sex content, weapons and animal abuse. Seventy-five percent of flagged ad spending came from advertisers in Meta's partner program.
Read at New York Post
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