Google and Meta adjust advertising guidelines to focus on teenagers – Firstpost

In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that Google and Meta collaborated in a secret campaign to target advertisements for Instagram to teenagers on YouTube. This campaign specifically targeted 13- to 17-year-old YouTube users with ads promoting Meta’s rival photo and video app, Instagram. This deliberate targeting of a user group labelled as „unknown“ in Google’s advertising system, which was known to include a high proportion of under-18s, raises serious concerns about the ethics and transparency of online advertising practices.

According to reports, efforts were made to conceal the true intent of the campaign, which violated Google’s rules against personalizing and targeting ads to under-18s. This blatant disregard for guidelines aimed at protecting minors online is particularly troubling, especially in light of recent controversies surrounding the exploitation of children on social media platforms.

The collaboration between Google and Meta, two typically fierce competitors, began late last year as Google sought to boost advertising revenue and Meta aimed to retain younger users amidst competition from platforms like TikTok. The companies partnered with Spark Foundry, a US subsidiary of Publicis, to launch the pilot marketing program in Canada and the US, with plans to expand it internationally and promote other Meta apps such as Facebook.

Despite being small pilot programs, Google saw them as an opportunity to develop a more lucrative relationship with Meta, involving high-profile brand advertisements on YouTube and other platforms. This raises questions about the extent to which tech giants are willing to go to increase their advertising revenue, even if it means compromising the safety and privacy of underage users.

Last year, Meta announced updates to its advertising system, including the removal of gender as a targeting option for users under 18 on Facebook and Instagram. The company claimed that these changes were meant to ensure that teens see ads relevant to their age and location. However, the recent revelations about the collaboration with Google suggest a different story, one in which profit motives may have taken precedence over ethical considerations.

Overall, the reports of Google and Meta’s secret collaboration to target advertisements for Instagram to teenagers on YouTube raise serious concerns about the transparency and accountability of online advertising practices. It is essential for regulators and policymakers to closely monitor and regulate the activities of tech giants to ensure the protection of underage users and the integrity of online advertising.