Meta · BBC Technology
AI app ads promoting 'objectification of women' banned by watchdog
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A series of social media adverts for AI apps have been banned by a UK watchdog for promoting "the creation of sexually explicit content and objectification of women".
Key facts
- The firm has also previously revealed, external that between November 2025 and January 2026, it removed over 344,000 ads for nudifying apps across Facebook and Instagram
- One ad for an AI companion generator, developed by Animcha Ltd, was also found to have portrayed someone under 18 in a sexual way, the ASA said
- The ads were identified by the regulator using its AI-powered "Active Ad Monitoring System", which proactively searches for ads which might violate UK rules
- Researcher Alexios Mantzarlis reported in early September that an investigation, external had found 11,336 ads on Meta's platforms claiming they could be used to turn images of clothed people
Summary
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said five ads uploaded to Meta platforms for AI companion and video generating apps had objectified and sexualised women, including through harmful gender stereotypes. One of the ads used sexualised images of a girl under 18 to promote an AI companion app - while others invited users to upload images of their "crush" and turn images into "sizzling" videos. "We take a firm line on ads that are likely to cause serious or widespread offence and these ads are a clear example of why that matters," she said. "Encouraging and condoning the objectification of women and the creation of explicit content from people's images has the potential to cause real-world harm.