Financial Times: Google and Meta targeted ads to teens

This article was last updated on August 9, 2024

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Financial Times: Google and Meta targeted ads to teens

Tech companies Google and Meta are said to have collaborated on an advertising campaign specifically aimed at teenagers. This is reported by the British Financial Times newspaper based on conversations with insiders and documents. With this, Google would have violated its own rules. The company is prohibited from personalizing and targeting advertisements to minors.

It concerns advertisements on YouTube (which is owned by Google), which were intended for 13 to 17-year-old viewers. The social medium Instagram – owned by Meta – was promoted in the hope of better competing with the popular TikTok.

The Financial Times reports that the companies have tried to disguise the true purpose of the advertisements. The target group of the campaign would be listed as “unknown” in the system, while Google knew it was teenagers, according to the newspaper. The campaign is said to have been stopped after the British newspaper asked Google about this subject.

‘Period’

Google tells NOS that the company prohibits personalized advertisements to minors, “period, out”. “This policy goes far beyond what is required.” The tech company also says it will once again emphasize to employees that they are not allowed to help advertisers with campaigns that go against company policy.

Meta could not be reached for comment. According to the Financial Times, the company does not believe that it has circumvented any rules. Meta said she has always “been open” about providing a platform where young people can “connect with friends, find community and explore interests.”

Senate hearing

The campaign is said to have already been devised when earlier this year several CEOs of tech companies, including Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, were interrogated by the US Senate. The Senate was concerned about the link between the deteriorating well-being of children and social media.

Zuckerberg then apologized to families of children who had fallen victim to sexual exploitation and abuse on his platforms.