Meta knowingly took in billions from scam ads on Facebook and Instagram, says Reuters

[DragonSlayer101]

In a nutshell: Meta has faced several controversies over the years, including the misuse of private data for political profiling, failing to stop the spread of fake news and hate speech, and ignoring the impact of Facebook and Instagram on the mental well-being of young people. A new report now claims the company has also knowingly accepted fraudulent and scam ads originating in China.

According to an investigation by Reuters, Meta earned more than $3 billion in China last year through scam ads for illegal gambling, pornography, and other inappropriate content. That figure represents nearly 19 percent of the company's $18 billion in total ad revenue from China during the same period. Reuters had previously reported that 10 percent of Meta's global revenue came from fraudulent ads.

An internal investigation by Meta reportedly found that nearly 25 percent of the ads shown on its platforms originated in China, with many of the fraudulent ads targeting users in Taiwan, the United States, and Canada.

Investigators recommended that the company make a substantial investment to reduce the "growing harm" faced by children and young adults on its social media platforms.

Meta initially formed a task force to address rampant ad fraud across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The team succeeded in reducing scam ads by nearly 50 percent by the end of 2024. However, the task force was later disbanded following an intervention by Mark Zuckerberg, leading to a marked increase in fraudulent ads over the subsequent months.

The investigation suggests Meta knew about the scale of the ad fraud problem on its platforms, but chose not to act because it would have affected revenue. Rob Leathern, a former senior director of product management at Facebook, said the volume of fraudulent ads on the platforms is "not defensible" and that the company should address the issue on a war footing.

In a statement to Reuters, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the anti-fraud team was always intended to be temporary and that Zuckerberg did not direct its dissolution.

Stone added that the Meta CEO instructed teams handling scams and other high-risk threats to "redouble efforts" to reduce all forms of fraud across Facebook, Instagram, and other Meta properties.

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Meta knowingly took in billions from scam ads on Facebook and Instagram, says Reuters

 

[daffy duck]

The entire board and CEO need to get at least 10 years without parole behind bars. Nothing else will change the course of these scumbag tech bros other than prison sentences.

 

[PXAbstraction]

"Move fast and break things."

At this point, nothing evil Zuckerberg does even surprises me anymore.

 

[PXAbstraction]

The entire board and CEO need to get at least 10 years without parole behind bars. Nothing else will change the course of these scumbag tech bros other than prison sentences.

Or fines so large that it actually materially impacts their wealth. If anything, that would hurt them more.

 

[NumberNine]

You don't say?

 

[Megalomaniac]

I join every single class action lawsuit against them.

I've collected a few hundred dollars. Looking forward to more.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Or fines so large that it actually materially impacts their wealth. If anything, that would hurt them more.

Why not both?

Maybe make it a percentage of a company's value, rather then revenue. 5% of their value as a fine would be multiple years worth of revenue for Meta.

 

[p51d007]

I've never seen an ad on Facebook. I use that F.B. Purity program which allows you to block
that, reels and other nonsense. (I use it to mostly send photos to family & friends)

 

[3volv3d]

The entire board and CEO need to get at least 10 years without parole behind bars. Nothing else will change the course of these scumbag tech bros other than prison sentences.

Lmao. The govt is controlled by the money these ppl have. They use their software to know everything about you.
You as a person, a simple number in a massive of numbers that means nothing to them, have no say in anything . Even if theirs a political change, republicans to Dems.
The status quo is just that.

 

[kirk781]

The entire board and CEO need to get at least 10 years without parole behind bars. Nothing else will change the course of these scumbag tech bros other than prison sentences.

They are the new robber barons, skewing society in a negative direction. Relevant govt ( I presume US in this case since Meta woukd lie in its jurisdiction ) ought to intervene

 

[OortCloud]

Of all the TechBro cu*ts he might be the worst. Which is pretty impressive when there are such luminaries as Musk, Bezos and Cook to compete against.

 

[scoffer]

The richer they get -the sleazier they get. Let's hope that there really IS a hell down there.......

 

[RudyBob]

I believe every bad thing written about FB and Zuckerberg

 

[VitalyT]

If they accepted the scam money, they are likely the ones who sponsored that scam. It’s simple logic, one thing leads to the other, both equally immoral and criminal.

 

[pnntmp]

Reuters is an extremely unreliable source, their business is Disinformation-As-A-Service.

The only question one should ask after reading something from Reuters is who benefits from spreading that particular collection of claims.

This whole nonsense is based on hearsay - an alleged internal investigation by Meta, which "reportedly found" this and that.
Where can we read the original investigation report, and how can we be sure it's legit, not fabricated by Reuters?

Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of Meta. It's probably even worse than Reuters, and China is definitely far worse than both. But we have no reason to believe anything in this article.

 

[Makyurax]

I've lost the count of how many fraud ads I reported to instagram and most of them where so trashy that I don't know how peoples can belive they were real like onewho sold a really small binocular with 1000X zoom with images of a moon crater shown as proof of the quality.
Meta simply won't say no to all tha ads money.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

I've lost the count of how many fraud ads I reported to instagram and most of them where so trashy that I don't know how peoples can belive they were real like onewho sold a really small binocular with 1000X zoom with images of a moon crater shown as proof of the quality.
Meta simply won't say no to all tha ads money.

Normally, one reason scams are also unbelievable is because of bad spelling and grammar, but I'm guessing you'd be unable to catch that. Then again, critical thinking is a better skill that many people lack, so I'll give you props for having the only comment here that actually spoke of evidence of wrongdoing by Meta.

 

[Y2JB47]

Reuters is an extremely unreliable source, their business is Disinformation-As-A-Service.

The only question one should ask after reading something from Reuters is who benefits from spreading that particular collection of claims.

This whole nonsense is based on hearsay - an alleged internal investigation by Meta, which "reportedly found" this and that.
Where can we read the original investigation report, and how can we be sure it's legit, not fabricated by Reuters?

Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of Meta. It's probably even worse than Reuters, and China is definitely far worse than both. But we have no reason to believe anything in this article.

Is it cold in Moscow this time of year?

 

[Northy]

"Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the anti-fraud team was always intended to be temporary"

Literally saying they never intended to do anything about scams on the platform long term.

 

[Vanderkaum037]

Lmao. The govt is controlled by the money these ppl have. They use their software to know everything about you.
You as a person, a simple number in a massive of numbers that means nothing to them, have no say in anything . Even if theirs a political change, republicans to Dems.
The status quo is just that.

And as long as citizens disempower themselves with this attitude, that will never change. It doesn't matter if you fail, what matters is the fight.

 

[3volv3d]

And as long as citizens disempower themselves with this attitude, that will never change. It doesn't matter if you fail, what matters is the fight.

Ok. But.
You can voice your opinion but they won't listen. And there's no power to lose in this day and age. You can argue with your councils and senate and powers that be, but that's them.
Then there's the money controllers. The 3 companies that own 95% of America and won't give up anything unless it's in their best interests not yours.

You only matter if they need you. And it's gonna get to a point where they don't.

 

[Win7user]

Social Media, is a cancer, effecting every area of humanity. Specifically, young children and teenagers! It's mostly a bully pulpit! All, social media, should be banned in the US!

 

[daffy duck]

Or fines so large that it actually materially impacts their wealth. If anything, that would hurt them more.

If that fine was of the order of $1 trillion dollars sure, but ti would be of the order of a weeks revenue at best, more like 1 days revenue and the company can still sugar coat the outcome and say they are disappointed as they have done nothing wrong. Only prison will send a clear message that the authorities actually give a fig.

 

[Darth Shiv]

"Move fast and break things."

At this point, nothing evil Zuckerberg does even surprises me anymore.

Yep one of the many symptoms of how bad US society is in general - it CANNOT hold these rich people accountable for their actions.

 

[Darth Shiv]

If that fine was of the order of $1 trillion dollars sure, but ti would be of the order of a weeks revenue at best, more like 1 days revenue and the company can still sugar coat the outcome and say they are disappointed as they have done nothing wrong. Only prison will send a clear message that the authorities actually give a fig.

He should have been criminally liable many many years ago. His deliberate crimes by any proportionate justice system would have seen him locked away for most of his natural life and that would be appropriate. They should not be able to perpetually do such obscene crimes and not be proportionately punished for it.