Recent reports have surfaced claiming that Google and Meta struck a deal to create and display ads specifically targeted at minor users. The collaboration allegedly involved Google working on a marketing project to develop ads for Meta’s Instagram platform, aiming to reach teenagers. This revelation is particularly concerning as both tech companies have previously stated that they do not target ads to individuals under the age of 18.
According to the Financial Times report, Google and Meta’s deal involved bringing minor users to Instagram through targeted ads on YouTube. This practice, if true, would violate Google’s own Ad-serving Protections for Teens policy, which prohibits ad personalization and restricts sensitive ad categories for users under the age of 18. The report suggests that Google circumvented this policy by categorizing the target demographic as “unknown.”
By labeling the target demographic as “unknown,” Google was able to collect a significant amount of data on users within this category, including their location, app downloads, online activity, and more. The report indicates that Google could accurately identify younger users within the “unknown” group, enabling them to effectively target minors with their ads. Additionally, the company reportedly disabled other age groups, focusing solely on the “unknown” demographic that had a higher proportion of minor users.
In response to these allegations, Google has maintained that they strictly prohibit personalized ads to individuals under the age of 18 and that their technical safeguards are in place to enforce this policy. While the company did not explicitly deny using the “unknown” category for targeting ads to minors, they stated that they would conduct their own investigation into the matter. Meta, on the other hand, defended Google’s use of the “unknown” targeting option, claiming that it is available to all advertisers.
The reported deal between Google and Meta to target minor users with ads raises significant concerns about the ethical implications of such practices. By bypassing their own policies and using loopholes in the system, these tech giants risk exploiting vulnerable young users for financial gain. It is essential for regulators and the public to hold companies accountable for their advertising practices, particularly when it comes to protecting minors from targeted marketing efforts.