Meta platform hosted hundreds of AI-generated child abuse ads: NGO

An international non-governmental organisation tracking online child exploitation has documented evidence of Meta hosting advertisements containing artificially-generated images of child sexual abuse. According to the NGO's findings, the advertisements collectively reached more than 29,000 individuals on platforms operated by Meta.

The ads utilised artificial intelligence technology to create synthetic depictions of child abuse rather than images of real victims. This represents a significant concern for child safety advocates, who warn that such material normalises the exploitation of minors and can fuel demand for genuine abuse content.

The discovery highlights ongoing challenges in content moderation across major social media platforms, particularly regarding synthetic media and AI-generated material. While Meta has previously committed to removing child sexual abuse material from its platforms, the scale of this incident suggests gaps remain in detection and enforcement mechanisms.

Meta has not yet publicly responded to the NGO's allegations. The incident underscores growing concerns among regulators and child protection organisations about the proliferation of AI-generated harmful content across major digital platforms operating in Asia and globally.