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Meta is again under fire for not taking adequate measures to stop the spread of hateful rhetoric and violent content in Facebook ads. A recent report highlights eight such ads that were approved while being in stark violation of the company’s policies regarding hateful content, focusing on audiences in Europe.
This report from watchdog organization Ekō comes at a time when the Digital Services Act (DSA) is going to be implemented in Europe later this week and is intended to highlight the “sub-standard moderation practices” of social networking.
The report highlights how within a span of a few days in early August, the group attempted to purchase 13 Facebook ads, utilizing AI-generated visuals and text blatantly violating company regulations.
Before the video could make its way to the viewers, Ekō withdrew the ads. While the group refrained from disclosing the exact phrasing, they did furnish descriptions of some horrific instances from past history to the present time. Among the sanctioned ads, one meant for France advocated for executing a prominent MEP due to their immigration stance.
While another ad took German users on its radar, urging the destruction of synagogues to safeguard ‘White Germans.’ Additionally, Meta greenlit ads in Spain calling the recently concluded election into question and encouraging violent protests for its redressal.
“This report was based on a very small sample of ads and is not representative of the number of ads we review daily across the world,” a spokesperson for Meta said in a statement. “Our ads review process has several layers of analysis and detection, both before and after an ad goes live. We’re taking extensive steps in response to the DSA and continue to invest significant resources to protect elections and guard against hate speech as well as against violence and incitement.”
Although a few ads were halted during Meta’s scrutiny, Ekō asserts that these ads were prevented from circulation due to their political nature, not the presence of violent or hateful rhetoric. (The company mandates an extra vetting process for political advertisers before their eligibility to advertise.)
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“With a few clicks, we were able to prove just how easy it is for bad actors to spread hate speech and disinformation,” Vicky Wyatt, Ekō’s campaign director, said in a statement. “With EU elections around the corner, European leaders must enforce the DSA to its fullest extent and finally rein in these toxic companies.”
