Google and Meta entered into a secret deal to show Instagram ads to teenagers on YouTube, bypassing its own rules regarding underage users. A Financial Times investigation has uncovered that Google developed a marketing campaign to secretly promote the Instagram app to young people.
According to documents obtained by the Financial Times (FT) from people familiar with the matter, the project targeted YouTube users aged 13 to 17. As part of the Google Ads campaign, Instagram deliberately targeted a group of users labelled in the system as “unknown”, although it knew that this group was mostly under 18. The data obtained by the FT suggests that special steps were taken to conceal the true aims of the campaign.
Google and Meta began working together late last year, with Google seeking to boost its advertising revenue and Meta trying to retain the attention of young users against fast-growing competitors such as TikTok. The project violated Google’s policies prohibiting personalization and targeting of ads to minors, including displaying ads based on demographic data.
Responses and Reactions
Following the FT’s request, Google launched an internal investigation, while not denying the use of the “unknown” loophole. “We will take additional steps to remind managers that they should not help advertisers or agencies launch campaigns that try to circumvent our policies,” the company emphasized. Meta said it did not consider the selection of the “unknown” audience to be personalization or circumvention of the rules.
However, American critic Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), noted that “Meta is losing its youth audience and has found a workaround to win them back.”
Marsha Blackburn, an American politician representing the Republican Party, commented on the situation as follows: “Tech giants cannot be trusted to protect our children.” She called on Congress to pass the Children’s Online Safety Act (KOSA). “They were caught exploiting our children again, and Silicon Valley executives have proven that they will always put profits ahead of our children’s interests.”
The revelation of this secret collaboration between two tech giants has raised concerns about the protection of young users online and the ethical practices of major technology companies. As the investigation continues to unfold, it is likely that there will be increased scrutiny of advertising practices targeting minors across various platforms, notes NIX Solutions.
We’ll keep you updated on any new developments in this ongoing story, including potential regulatory responses and changes in policies from both Google and Meta. The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching implications for how tech companies advertise to younger audiences and may lead to stricter enforcement of existing rules or the implementation of new regulations to protect underage users online.