#platform-transparency

#platform-transparency

SAN FRANCISCO, USA - Japanese regulators last year were upset by a flood of ads for obvious scams on Facebook and Instagram. The scams ranged from fraudulent investment schemes to fake celebrity product endorsements created by artificial intelligence. Meta, owner of the two social media platforms, feared Japan would soon force it to verify the identity of all its advertisers, internal documents reviewed by Reuters show. The step would likely reduce fraud but also cost the company revenue.

"The Aura of President Donald Trump is unimaginable. Love him or hate him, no one remains unmoved in his presence," wrote the X account @TRUMP_ARMY_ earlier this month. For the account, which has more than 500,000 followers, this sort of fawning message is pretty typical. Two days earlier, the account reposted, "The President puts America First over his own financial gains. 🔥🔥" Another post reads, "Drop a ❤️, if you Love President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump!!"

According to documents cited by the report, Google's advertising platforms, including YouTube and Display & Video 360, were used to distribute promotional content designed to counter international concerns over humanitarian conditions in the territory. One YouTube video from Israel's Foreign Ministry, widely circulated through paid promotion, claimed: "There is food in Gaza. Any other claim is a lie." The clip has been viewed over six million times.